Darkest Before The Dawn
by AngelJ5
Summary: Set months after Ashes, Julie's got herself into some serious trouble. Cate returns to the fold to help after a long absence to heal, is she ready to return? Can the Angels help clear Julie's name? R&R Please. ;-
1. Chapter 1

**_And so we start again. A long first chapter I'll admit but this chpt didn't feel complete until I reached a comfortable end with it so enjoy._**

**_This fic may contina a bit more music, hope you can all handle that? Sometimes music can just express things a little better!!_**

**_Enjoy and please R&R you know I work faster with reviews! AJ5 ;-)_**

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Kris stepped out of the truck into the strong summer sun. Even with her sunglasses on she needed to shield her eyes. The view was spectacular, nothing but wide-open spaces and rock formations; she could easily see why Cate loved Northern Colorado so much.

'So where about's are they?' Kelly asked surveying the area as she got out of the truck standing on its trim so that she leaned across the cab roof.

'Right over there on '_Duncan's Ridge' _you can just see them climbing if you look close enough.' The Angels guide and Cate's Uncle James pointed out. Kris and Kelly looked towards the rock formation.

'They're crazy.' Kris noted loudly in admiration.

'We don't have to climb to meet them do we?' Kelly asked James who chuckled as he replied.

'Not unless you really want to; but they've both been up since dawn's light. We can drive to the top, the summit, and meet them there.' James explained as he got back into the driver's seat of his truck starting the engine again.

'That's good to know.' Kris laughed nervously looking again at the rock face her friend was now climbing. 'Is Cate really ok to climb that?' Kris asked Kelly as she buckled herself into her seat.

'It's been well over six months Kris and the doctors all gave her the all clear before she left Oklahoma to come here. I think it's more about proving it to herself rather than anything else.' Kelly explained.

'Plus this is a tradition for Cate, Scotty and their friends here.' James added. 'They're always out here this time of year climbing, having fun camping out that kind of thing.' The truck fell silent of conversation as James drove Kris and Kelly up to the meeting spot at the top of the cliff. Every once in a while the Angels would coo at the sights or the sheer drops which seemed to send shivers through them both.

'You're right Kris.' Kelly began as the saw close up the height they were now at.

'What?' Kris asked forgetting what she had said earlier.

'Cate is crazy, they all are!' They all laughed as James pulled the car into a parking area laid out by the Park Rangers. The stone table summit was amazingly flat with people stood around the edges looking over slightly with ropes by them or around them, climbers. James spotted Cate and Scotty's friends just as one of them was managing to pull themselves over the edge on to the flat table of solid horizontal ground.

Cate pulled herself up onto the flat surface with the help of another young woman of about Cate's age, height and build. Looking back over she smiled down calling out as she did.

'Come on Scotty you're almost there!' Cate and her friends watched Scotty as much as they could from their positions as he navigated himself around the rock and eventually pulled himself up to join his sister and their friends.

'Yeah! Made it!' Scotty hollered as he stood on the flat surface throwing his arms in the air his hands clenched in fists, very 'Rocky –esq' then throwing his arms around his sister and friends as they hooted and hollered in celebration.

James got out of the truck followed by Kris and then Kelly who dropped her sunglasses in the cab of the truck so spent time trying to find them again as Kris and James made their way over to the noisy group of friends.

'Cate!' James shouted out for his niece. Hearing the familiar voice Cate turned in surprise to see him and who was with him. Leaving her friends and brother for a moment Cate rushed over to them, throwing her arms around Kris.

'What are you doing here?' Cate asked first as Kris pushed her away.

'Nice thanks Cate.' Kris teased brushing her hands down her sleeves where Cate had hugged her.

'Hey look it's hot and that's a big climb! I wouldn't let Scotty hug you then he's really been sweating hard.' Cate laughed back pointing to the ridge she had just climbed over with her brother. 'So what are you doing here?' Cate asked again not seeing Kelly she jumped to a terrifying conclusion. 'Where's Kelly, is everything all right is she all right?' Cate fired off questions at Kris her expression changing from excited joy to that of sheer worry.

'Calm down Kel's fine she's here.' Kris said turning around behind her not seeing Kelly there. 'Kelly?!' Kris called out; Kelly popped up from the side of the truck waving, and then ran over to join them throwing herself into Cate.

'Hey little sister how you doing?' Cate held Kelly tight for a moment before they broke away from each other.

'I'm doing great, come on I want you to meet my friends.' Cate excitedly said taking Kelly's hand and beckoning Kris to come along with them James had all ready made his way over to them all throwing his arm around Scotty's shoulder slapping his hand in a fatherly way on Scotty's chest congratulating him on his climb and laughing with the others. 'Everyone this is my big sister Kelly and close friend Kris.' Cate pointed out, both Kelly and Kris bashfully waved to everyone. 'Kris, Kelly this is Emily.' Cate introduced the brunette who matched Cate for height and build. 'Topher.' A tall ash blonde buff young man no more than twenty five, 'AJ' a shorter blonde, tanned girl of around the same age as the others, 'Richie and you know Scotty.' Cate pointed to last two members of the group, Richie who like Scotty was tall well built and blonde although Scotty's blonde hair was a little darker than Richie's.

'Nice to meet y'all.' Kris said smiling with her best down home charm accent. The group all nodded and said their pleasantries as they moved off leaving Cate alone with them. Calling back to her friends laughing and joking Cate turned to Kris and Kelly.

'All right give, what's going on, why the surprise visit?' Cate asked as a towel got thrown to her by one of her friends.

'You need to come back home to L.A. Cate, we need you.' Kelly admitted.

'That's sweet guys really, but why not just call me and ask me to come home? What's happened and where's Julie and Bos, why aren't they with you?' Cate asked so many questions in a short space of time Kelly wasn't you sure which one to answer first.

'Right now' Kris began 'Julie's in jail, that's why we're here and need you to come home with us.' Kris thought it was best just to get it all out in the open, straight to the point. Cate was stunned to silence looking to Kris and then Kelly trying to comprehend what she had just heard, trying to form words but just not being able to speak them.

'Julie's in jail, what for?' Cate finally asked.

'Murder.' Kelly quietly and flatly answered.

'Murder!' Cate yelled out shocked then realizing where they were lowered her voice again. 'What happened?' Cate asked placing her hands on her hips waiting for an explanation.

'We're not really sure.' Kelly replied.

'You're not really sure?' Cate asked back in astonishment.

'Cate, a lot of things have been going on since you left.' Kris tried to explain.

'Who has she been accused of murdering?' Cate asked still not believing she was putting the words murder and Julie in the same thought let alone sentence.

'A police detective.' Kris replied gently narrowing her eyes to the sun as Cate spun away walking a few paces away from them in disbelief.

'All right we'll head back to L.A. tomorrow, I can't just run off today plus by the time we get away from here and book flights and I pack.' Cate explained listing things off when Kelly interrupted her holding her hand out to her sister.

'We're flying back tomorrow, flights are booked.' Kelly smiled reassuringly. Cate nodded in acceptance.

'Ok, well, we were all meant to be camping out here tonight but I think I'd better head back with you two and Uncle James to the homestead.'

'Good idea.' Kelly agreed, as Cate turned to look at her little brother and their friends she smiled before shaking her head.

'Why don't you two head back to the truck, I'll catch up in a few I just need to say some goodbyes.' Cate suggested, Kelly and Kris nodded understanding and moved away to the truck and waited patiently. They watched as Cate laughed with and hugged her friends as they shared their goodbyes; James came back to the truck ahead of Cate tossing her gear into the back of the truck.

'It must be serious if you're calling her back so soon.' James remarked to the two Angels.

'It is I'm afraid.' Kelly said with a sympathetic smile, she knew how little Cate's family got to see her and how much they loved having her around especially since the most recent shooting when they all came so close to losing her. Kelly looked away to the landscape thinking back on it but was brought back quickly to the sound of raised voices.

'But why Cate, why do you have to go, why can't they just call on one of the others, Jill or Sabrina?' Scotty shouted at his sister as they both stood in the centre of their friends who had given them a very wide berth.

'Because they can't Scotty, they need me and I need to go back!' Cate shouted back.

'Then don't go, just for once say no, just for once think about us, your family!' Scotty continued to shout then spinning on his heel turned his back to his sister and took a few steps away from her. Cate watched him taking a deep breath raising one hand to her forehead and resting the other on her hip, Cate then looked up and moved towards him reaching a hand out to his back, her fingertips just grazing his shoulder. Scotty jerked his shoulder away not wanting to know.

'Scott please try to understand, Julie is a part of my family as well now, she needs me and I have to go back and help her the way she would help me and has helped me.' Cate tried to explain.

'You almost died Cate, we almost lost you, I almost lost my big sister! I've already lost an older brother to the stupid world of crime.' Scotty sounded off speaking of his older brother Bobby who was still serving his time in jail. Cate stood watching and listening to her younger brother, she didn't have an answer for him, Cate didn't know what might happen when she returned to L.A. even worse she didn't know what would happen if she didn't return.

'I have to go Scotty and I know you understand why, and I know you're scared but I'll be all right, I will, I pro…'

'No, don't do that don't promise me that, you can't.' Scotty told his sister before he stormed off passed her and away from their friends. Cate watched him leave placing her hands on her hips sighing deeply as she walked over to her uncle and the Angels.

'You all right?' James asked his niece looking at her with deepest concern.

'Let's just go home Uncle James.' Cate said giving him a weak smile as Kris and Kelly filed into the back of the truck's cab not mentioning the argument with Scotty, not right now anyway. They drove back in silence watching the scenery pass by each person lost in their own thoughts once back at the homestead everyone filed out of the truck James and Cate grabbing her gear from the back of it.

'You found her then?' A cheerful woman's voice called from behind them. Turning they all saw Cate's aunt Joan stood in the doorway of the homestead a dishcloth draped over her shoulder the apron she was wearing covered in flour.

'You been trying to bake again?' Cate quipped seeing her aunt's appearance.

'Watch yourself now or I'll force you to try it first.' Joan threatened with a sly smile. 'Is everything ok?' Joan asked seeing the look on Cate's face as she passed her aunt heading into the house followed by Kris and Kelly who smiled to Joan as they went by. Catching James' arm as he went in Joan tilted her head to him giving him the look of 'what's going on' without actually saying it. James shook his head to his wife carrying on after the Angels.

'You want something to eat?' Joan asked as she shut the front door then turning to the occupants in the home.

'I'd love something to eat, but right now I think I 'd better get a shower and freshen up some.' Cate smiled to everyone as she headed for the stairs.

'All right then, what will it be for the rest of you?' Joan asked. Kris smiled at Joan and followed her into the kitchen.

'Whatever you have I'm sure is fine with us. Right Kel?' Kris cheerily said looking over her shoulder to Kelly as she followed after them her thoughts more with her sister right now than lunch. 'Can I help with anything?' Kris asked as she stood in the centre of Joan's large kitchen.

'Well, if we do some sandwiches that should satisfy us all so if you can butter some bread for me I'll organize the fillings. Kelly you want to grab the pitcher of lemonade from the fridge?' Kelly snapped out of her thoughts at the mention of her name and did as she was asked whilst James took glasses down from a cabinet.

'Don't worry; they'll sort things out between them. Those two never stay mad at each other for long.' James said to Kelly as if he were reading her thoughts.

'I hope so.' Kelly smiled to James. With all the sandwiches made up and the drinks poured they all made their way out to the veranda at the back of the homestead where a large circular wooden table was set out with chairs to match. Just as everyone sat down Cate entered out to join them taking the vacant seat between her aunt and Kelly.

'Oh good, food, I'm starving!' Cate enthused at the sight of the sandwiches piled on the centre of the table.

'Shocking.' Kris teased from across the table.

'So, where do you two want to start?' Cate asked as she took a bite from her first sandwich. Kelly and Kris looked to one another then to Cate's aunt and uncle.

'Do you need us to leave?' Joan asked.

'No, please stay. We should explain everything and you should know about it.' Kelly explained. 'Three months ago an old friend of Julie's from her modeling days came to visit, she was new in town and was staying with Julie until she found her own place.' Kelly began to explain.

'What was her name?' Cate asked picking up her glass of lemonade, listening intently.

'Karen Chambers.' Kris answered.

'She was in L.A. to start a new modeling contract with a fashion magazine.' Kelly continued. 'Whilst she was staying with Julie she got caught up in one our smaller cases, nothing serious, but she met detective Peter Michaels through it.'

'What happened?' Cate asked. 'For Karen to meet the detective I mean.'

'A small case of mistaken identity.' Kris replied. 'Michaels mistook Karen for Julie passing information onto her, nothing serious or even dangerous but they just hit it off straight away. Julie only found out after the case was over and the Michaels left a message at the office for her asking her out to dinner.'

'So Julie not being sure what that was all about put two and two together?' Cate asked.

'Almost, she took the date and when Michaels showed up he was a little confused, then it was all figured out.' Kelly explained.

'And Michaels and Karen started dating.' Cate summarized.

'Right and the relationship moved really quickly.' Kris said before taking a bite of her sandwich.

'Next thing we all knew Karen was moving in with him and playing happy families.' Kelly continued as she twisted her glass around on the table.

'It wasn't happy then?' James asked getting sucked into the story.

'No, it wasn't. A little over three weeks ago Karen showed up on Julie's doorstep in the early hours of the morning distraught.' Kelly explained after taking a sip from her drink.

'What had happened?' Cate asked even though she had a feeling of what the answer might be.

'Karen had a split lip and bruises forming on her upper arms.' Kris answered.

'He'd beaten her.' James flatly said.

'It would have appeared so.' Kelly replied.

'You're not certain?' Cate asked surprised.

'No, we're not, not now.' Kelly said pushing her plate away from her.

'Carry on, let's not jump ahead.' Cate said sitting back rubbing her hand over her shoulder, the very one that was wounded a few months back. Seeing this Joan got up and headed into the house returning after a few moments with an ice pack which she wrapped in a soft towel and draped across her nieces shoulder, Cate looked up to her aunt smiling appreciatively. Kelly continued.

'Julie called us as soon as she could get Karen calmed down to sleep, we arrived and Julie filled us in, she was fuming mad.'

'It took us another fifteen to twenty minutes to calm her down and stop her from heading round to Michaels herself.' Kris added.

'I can imagine.' Cate said placing her hand on the ice pack adding pressure to it.

'We all stayed at Julie's that night to make sure that Michaels didn't turn up to try anything and also so that Julie didn't go off and do anything stupid.' Kelly continued. 'The following morning we all sat with Karen trying to understand what had happened, when she had first arrived at Julie's she had told Julie that Michael's had attacked her, that he was drunk and lashed out for no apparent reason. In the morning her story changed saying that they had fought, but she started it and fought him just as hard and she wasn't going to the police about it to make a report no matter what we said.'

'Then what happened?' Cate asked taking another sandwich from the large plate when her aunt offered it to her.

'A week passed and Julie hadn't heard anything from Karen other than everything was fine and back to normal.' Kris explained.

'And then what?' Cate was beginning to feel like a lawyer-asking question after question.

'Then Julie got an excited call from Karen at the office; we had her on speakerphone as Karen wanted to share her news with all of us. She was pregnant, it was early but she'd seen a doctor and it was all confirmed.'

'Why do I have a terrible feeling of dread as to where this all heading?' Joan asked rhetorically as she took her seat again after passing around more food.

'Welcome to my job.' Cate said sarcastically. 'When did Julie get the call?' Cate asked not meaning the excited call from Karen but the call they all dreaded ever receiving.

'About two days later; Karen's body was found a few miles out of town dumped on the side of a country road. She had been shot three times.' Kelly finished as audible gasps and murmurs were heard from Joan and James.

'My God.' James said as he shook his head in disbelief.

'That poor young woman.' Joan added.

'Was Michaels arrested for the murder?' Cate asked knowing that that's where the investigation would have led.

'He was taken in for questioning but they could press charges, there just wasn't enough evidence. There were no signs at his home that there had been a struggle or a gun fired. His own side arm had not been fired and the bullets didn't match those that were used to shoot Karen.' Kris explained.

'Throw away gun, just because it wasn't his issued gun didn't mean…' Cate was saying when Kelly interrupted.

'We all thought that to but every time we tried to get anywhere with it we got shut down and shut out.' Kelly said obviously annoyed by the fact.

'So is the force protecting one of it's own?' James asked.

'We really don't know.' Kris answered.

'But someone did.' Cate said getting to the point.

'We were all told to leave the case alone, just stay away, even Charlie ordered us off the case.' Kris continued.

'Which Julie hated.' Cate guessed.

'Exactly, she continued working it, without us knowing she was out at night following leads and following Michaels around. We only found out she was working the case still when Julie was attacked herself.' Kris explained remembering what had happened all too well.

'Julie was attacked!?' Cate exclaimed. 'Is she all right?'

'She's fine; it was about a week ago. She was following Michael's around when he went to the bad side of town into the seedy clubs and bars. Julie watched him from an alleyway as he went into a club someone hit from behind, she doesn't know who, why, not even a description of a voice it all happened so fast. We were called to the hospital where she was taken with a concussion and a few stitches to a cut at the top of her forehead.' Kelly explained running her index finger over her forehead showing the area Julie had received stitches.

'But it didn't end there did it?' Cate asked.

'If only it did. There was just no talking to Julie she was adamant that Michaels had killed Karen and would do anything to prove it.' Kelly said.

'Oh great.' Cate sighed heavily.

'What?' Joan asked confused.

'If Julie had sworn to do anything to get the truth from Michaels then the lawyers can use it against her, they would say they she wouldn't even stop at murder to find the truth or her own justice.' Cate explained as she stood up and walked around still with the ice pack on her shoulder.

'Exactly.' Kris agreed.

'That's what's happening isn't it?' Cate asked as she stopped and looked to Kelly and the Kris.

'It would seem so.' Kelly confirmed.

'Wait so you're saying your friend killed this detective?' Joan asked.

'We're not saying that but the police and D.A are.' Kris explained anger starting to rise in her tone.

'What happened to Michaels?' Cate asked stood still her jaw locked waiting to hear.

'It would seem that he was lured to a motel room where he was shot and killed.' Kelly explained.

'By Julie's revolver I bet.' Cate surmised.

'Yep, it all fell nicely into place for the D.A.'

'They can't be that stupid!' Cate exclaimed. 'No wait they can, what am I saying, the police must know it's a set up. Julie's attacked and no doubt her gun was taken, which she probably didn't realise until later.'

'Yeah, later being the operative word.' Kris said tilting her head to one side as she spoke looking at Cate.

'She didn't realise the gun was missing until the cops asked for it did she?' Cate asked dreading the answer she knew was coming.

'Nope.' Kris confirmed. Cate hung her head deflated. 'Michaels was killed two days after her attack.'

'What's Julie's alibi?' Cate asked taking a seat again.

'She of course says she is innocent, which she is, but has no solid alibi at least not one she is sharing with anybody.' Kelly explained watching her sister who seemed to be taking this all in quite well, she knew how close Julie and Cate had become over the last year.

'You think she's hiding something.' Cate stated rather than asked.

'We know she is but she won't tell us anything, just keeps clamming up on us.' Kelly explained.

'What can be so bad or important not to tell us that would save her own life, she's accused of killing a cop for crying out loud! What's the matter with her?' Cate shouted.

'That's why we need you to come home with us, maybe you can get it out of her and find out what really happened.' Kris said. 'They have Julie's gun which was the weapon used which was conveniently left at the scene, it has only her finger prints on it.'

'That's all they have.' Cate said flatly thinking.

'It's enough Cate.' Kelly said.

'I know it is Kel. But we know Julie's gun was stolen, who's to say whoever shot Michaels wasn't wearing gloves and has set Julie up?' Cate said frustrated.

'We know Cate, we do but without Julie's cooperation we can't get anywhere.' Kris replied just as frustrated.

'What does Charlie say?' Cate asked trying to calm down a little.

'Find the truth, he's knows what's at stake like we all do, I just don't understand why Julie is being so stubborn about helping herself.' Kelly said as she sat back in her seat crossing her arms across her chest.

'It seems to me that you can't do anything more now until you return to L.A. tomorrow so I suggest you all try and relax until then because you're all going to be in for a long ride by the sound of it.' James advised as he stood clearing the table taking plates into the house.

'Your uncle is right Cate, all of you make yourselves at home and try to relax for a little while, maybe the only chance you get for a while.' Joan agreed as she got up to help her husband. The Angels stayed seated at the table a while longer keeping cool in the shade.

'How's the shoulder?' Kris asked breaking the silence as she watched Cate shift the ice pack around on her shoulder.

'It's good a little soar right now may be but it's good.' Cate smiled as she looked to her caring friend.

'That was a pretty amazing climb you and your brother took today.' Kelly continued trying to do what Cate's aunt and uncle suggested and relax for a while, change the subject even if they were all thinking of Julie.

'Yeah, we've done it before but it has been a while. Maybe I'll get you two doing it sometime soon?' Cate suggested with a wicked grin. Both Kelly and Kris laughed slightly as they protested.

'I don't think so, I'm not quite as crazy as you are.' Kris said waving her hands in front of her.

'Well I know I'm not as crazy and I'm certainly not doing it.' Kelly laughed.

'I've taught you the basics already Kel, you just have to take the next step is all.' Cate teased.

'Yeah just watch that first step Kel.' Kris giggled. The Angels fell silent again as they watched birds fly across the land. 'It really is beautiful here Cate, your aunt and uncle are very lucky.' Kris sighed contentedly leaning her head back to catch just a few subtle rays of sun.

'That they are.' Cate smiled looking across the land. 'Say you want to see Kelly's horse, the stables are right across there.' Cate asked as she pointed across the small grass patch that lead towards large stables. Kris lifted her head looking at Cate with a broad smile, as was Kelly she hadn't seen her horse for a little over a year now, the first time they met the horse was ready to be ridden and was broken in ready for her. The Angels walked across to the stables finding the horses grazing in the paddock not too far away from the stables.

'What did you name your horse again Kel?' Kris asked having forgotten.

'Halo.' Kelly grinned as she said the horse's name.

'How very appropriate.' Kris laughing teased.

'You haven't seen her markings.' Kelly said nudging Kris slightly as they walked over to the fencing around the paddock.

The Angels spent the rest of the afternoon outside around the homestead as Cate showed them the sights. As the sun began to lower James took Kris and Kelly out on horse back to the best view on their land to watch the sunset. Cate stayed behind to pack having seen the sunset so many times before. Once her bags were packed Cate took them downstairs ready to be loaded up the following morning when they left for the airport. Cate stood in the quiet surveying each room in the open planned house, her eyes settled on the piano, Cate smiled and slowly walked over to it. Taking a seat on the piano stool she opened the lid to reveal its keys. Cate placed her hands on the keys without pressing down to make a sound, she just rested them, stretching out her fingers over the keys. Cate smiled to herself as a song popped into her head, she started playing feeling the music flow through from her heart to her hands to the keys in the piano making the sweet sound play as she began to sing.

_All my bags are packed I'm ready to go  
I'm standin' here outside your door  
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye  
But the dawn is breakin' it's early morn  
The taxi's waitin' he's blowin' his horn  
Already I'm so lonesome I could die_

_So kiss me and smile for me  
Tell me that you'll wait for me  
Hold me like you'll never let me go  
Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane  
Don't know when I'll be back again  
Oh babe, I hate to go_

Being lost in her music Cate didn't hear or see the others return home. Kris and Kelly took seats on the large couch in the living room listening and watching Cate as she played. As James and Joan stood in the arch way of the room, Joan stood in front of her husband who had his arms around his wife's waist holding her into him as they watched their niece play.

_There's so many times I've let you down  
So many times I've played around  
I tell you now, they don't mean a thing  
Every place I go, I'll think of you  
Every song I sing, I'll sing for you  
When I come back, I'll bring your wedding ring_

_So kiss me and smile for me  
Tell me that you'll wait for me  
Hold me like you'll never let me go  
Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane  
Don't know when I'll be back again  
Oh babe, I hate to go…_

Cate stopped singing the rest of the song, just played out the music of the song on the piano slowly coming to an end. Sighing deeply she stopped playing and again rested her hands on the piano keys.

'Now that's something we'll miss again.' Joan said smiling as she walked forward to her niece wrapping her arms around Cate's shoulders who still had her back to the room.

'We miss it constantly.' Kris spoke up from where she sat next to Kelly. 'Cate doesn't play as much back in L.A.'

'Or at all.' Kelly added giving her sister a small smile as she turned to face them.

'How long have y'all been here?' Cate asked smiling, she looked tired already Kelly noticed.

'Long enough sweetheart.' James said gently as he walked into the kitchen. 'Anyone for a drink?' He asked as he took a glass down from the cupboard for himself, everyone opted for a drink.

'So what's next on the play list?' Kris asked getting up from where she sat heading towards Cate and the piano.

'That depends.' Cate smiled.

'On what?' Kris asked sensing she may know where this was headed.

'What do you want to sing?' Cate laughed putting Kris in the spotlight.

'You're a singer as well Kris?' Joan asked excited, more people to entertain her rather than the television.

'Oh yeah, Kris has been in a musical movie.' Cate replied for her friend who had suddenly fallen quiet, a little shy.

'Really which one?' James asked as he handed out drinks.

_'Sweet Misery._' Kelly answered joining them all at the piano.

'Haven't seen that one, sorry.' Joan admitted for her and James.

'That's alright, not many people did.' Kris explained. 'Musical movies aren't quite as popular as they used to be.'

'Especially when it's released the same weekend as _'Grease'_.' Cate said chuckling slightly as she did to which Kris pouted shoving Cate a little so she could also sit on the piano stool.

'Now that we've seen.' Joan smiled happily remembering the night out.

'So did everyone else.' Kelly laughed joining her sister in teasing their friend. 'But in any case Kris was terrific in it.'

'So what are you going to sing for us now?' Joan asked sitting down in the large armchair a few feet away from where the piano was.

'What do you know Cate?' Kris asked.

'I know enough I think. How about a little jazz?' Cate asked as she began to play the opening to the song _'My Baby Just Cares For Me'. _Kris smiled broadly her head bobbing along to the bounce of the music's beat. When Cate looked up to her nodding for her to start singing, which Kris did with pleasure,

_My baby don't care for shows  
My baby don't care for clothes  
My baby just cares for me  
My baby don't care for cars and races  
My baby don't care for high toned places  
_

_Liz Taylor's not his style  
And even Lana Turner's smile  
Is something that he just can't see  
My baby don't care who knows it  
My baby just cares for me  
_

_My baby don't care for shows  
My baby don't care for clothes  
My baby just cares for me  
My baby don't care for cars and races  
My baby don't care for those high toned places…_

The night continued with food and music and conversations until it was decided it was best for them all to turn in for the night.

Cate tossed and turned in her sleep nightmares invading her usually easy slumber. Images flashed through Cate's mind replaying the shipyard leading up to her being shot, everything was a muddle not playing in order of what had really happened when the gun fired in Cate's dream, Cate bolted up in her bed breathing heavily her hand going directly to where the bullet had hit her. Taking a few moments to calm her breathing and nerves Cate threw her bed covers away from swung her legs over the side of the bed and got up, grabbing her hooded jumper as she passed it. Heading down the stairs quietly as she could Cate put on the jumper just to keep off the early morning chill, it wasn't even close to dawn as Cate made her way through to the kitchen. Taking a glass from the draining board she pulled open the fridge taking out the milk. Pouring some of the white liquid into the glass Cate returned the bottle of milk closing the fridge door after her. Cate walked through the open planned house to the back patio doors, Cate needed open air space to breathe again, feel the gentle breeze of the night air. Carefully and quietly opening the door she stepped out onto the veranda taking a seat on one of the wooden chairs placing her glass of milk on the wooden table in front of her. Cate sat quietly let the world and time pass by listening to nature play it's chorus whilst the rest of the household slept.

'Bad dream?' Scotty's voice asked quietly from behind her as he stood in the doorway.

'How long have you been back?' Cate asked intentionally not answering him.

'Just got in, saw the door was open, thought I'd better check everything was ok before I headed up.' Scotty explained as he stepped out onto the veranda stood just to the side and behind Cate.

'Everything's fine Scotty, get yourself to bed I think aunt Joan has got a long list for you tomorrow.' Cate said smiling to her little brother as she craned her head back slightly to look at him. Ignoring his sister Scotty gently closed the veranda door and took the vacant seat beside Cate.

'Same dream as before?' Scotty pushed, making Cate sigh heavily as she stretched her legs out putting them onto the empty chair to the other side of her and Scotty. 'Cate.' Scotty pressed.

'It's just a dream Scotty, nothing to worry about.' Cate sighed as she spoke, she didn't want to talk about the nightmares, she just wanted to forget them.

'It kept you awake for the first two weeks you were home at mama's.' Scotty kept pressing Cate wanting her to be honest with him. Ever since their older brother went to jail and with their eldest brother Danny being married with a family Cate and Scotty had grown closer, sticking together through everything. Whilst Cate recovered from the shooting Scotty helped her with all of her physiotherapy keeping her on track and making sure she didn't over do things or push herself too hard. He also kept the peace between Cate and their mother who after getting over the shock of the shooting and how close they came to losing Cate, hit the roof ordering Cate to leave the agency and get a quieter better suited job like working at her motel full time or at the ranch with their aunt and uncle. Once Cate was able to she left for the ranch, Scotty being on summer vacation from college went with her, it had been the best summer and time he had shared with her. The pair of them hardly got to see each other as it was and Scotty grabbed with two hands the chance to spend more time with his big sister.

'Scotty please, I'm fine, just couldn't sleep that's all.' Cate said trying to brush him off.

'Who sat up with you every night you woke up from a nightmare?' Scotty asked sitting forward leaning on the table pointing his finger down on to the table as he asked. 'Who Cate?' Scotty pressed wanting her to answer. Sighing Cate dropped her legs down off the chair they were resting across turning and looking to Scotty at first with a harsh look about to rip his head off, then she saw the look in his eyes. Her sweet younger brother, fun loving, carefree younger brother, he looked so scared and so grown up all at once, when did that happen, Cate wondered.

'You did.' Cate sighed propping her feet up on the edge of his chair.

'Who stayed with you until you fell asleep again?' Scotty continued asking trying to make his point.

'You did.' Cate said smiling at him tilting her head to one side resting it on the back of her chair. 'And I could never be more thankful Scotty you know that.' Cate said calmly and quietly.

'So?' Scotty asked holding out an up turned hand waiting for an answer to his first question. Cate took a deep breath looking to her brother, was he prepared to hear it all again. Exhaling heavily Cate answered him truthfully.

'Yeah, the same dream again, it's the first time I've dreamt it in ages.' Cate admitted. Scott relaxing slightly as he heard the truth sat back in his chair grabbing his sisters feet and dragging her legs into his lap, Cate laughed slightly as he did. 'It just started and I woke up in the same place.'

'When the bullet hits you.' Scotty finished for her nodding his head knowingly. 'They can't hurt you any more Cate.' Sitting forward a little, Cate took her brothers hand.

'I know that Scotty, but thanks for saying it.' Cate smiled as she sat back again releasing his hand.

'You know it's no coincidence the dream started again now.' Scotty said heading back to the argument they had had earlier in the day.

'Scotty…' Cate began to speak.

'No Cate please let me speak.' Scotty begged Cate shrugged her shoulders allowing him to continue. 'No sooner does Kelly and Kris arrive to take you back to L.A. then the dreams start, something's trying to warn you.'

'No one's trying to warn me Scotty, I just haven't been anywhere near a case or the agency in months now, it's like going back to school. Remember the nervous feeling you used to get before you started a new term?' Cate asked looking to Scotty who nodded slightly. 'It's just a small case of nerves that's all. As soon as I'm back and working I'll be fine.' Cate smiled as she pulled her legs from his lap and stood up; taking the now empty glass from the table she turned to him and ruffled his hair. 'Stop worrying so much, that's my job.' Cate smiled reassuringly as she then kissed the top of Scotty's head, opened the door again and headed indoors, Scotty followed after her. 'It's almost dawn.' Cate said looking out the kitchen window, 'I better try and get some sleep before we head off. You'd better get yourself to bed as well, I wasn't kidding about the list aunt Joan has for you.' Cate smiled to Scotty as she put the glass into the sink. Scotty just watched his sister as she just carried on as if nothing was wrong nothing was troubling her. 'I'll see you later in the morning little brother.' Cate said as she walked passed him. Scotty returned the smile to his sister then swiftly moved after her wrapping his arms around her, one arm over her shoulders, the other around her waist so that he had her back facing him. Cate laughed in surprise to the 'in the moment' affection.

'I love you Cate.' Scotty said as he rested his head onto Cate's shoulder, smiling broadly even if Scotty couldn't see it, Cate raised her hand to meet with his head on her shoulder, patting the top of his head and then running her hand to rest on his cheek she gently tapped his cheek.

'I love you too little brother, now get to bed.' Cate ordered, Scotty released her and rushed round her to get up the stairs first. Cate watched as he swiftly went up the stairs laughing to herself and shaking her head Cate followed after him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.**

Within hours Cate was awake again, this time getting ready to return to L.A. with Kelly and Kris.

'What time is your flight?' Scotty asked staggering into the bathroom behind Cate who was already washed and dressed and brushing her teeth when Scotty entered.

'11.35.' Cate answered before spitting out the minty paste in her mouth. Scotty reached across to the bathtub turning the hot water tap on and pulling across the shower curtain.

'Well hurry up and let me have the bathroom.' Scotty said hurrying Cate out of the bathroom. Grabbing a towel as he pushed her out Cate wiped her mouth as Scotty shut and locked the door. Tossing the towel over the banister Cate rushed downstairs where she found her aunt sat at the dining room table with Kelly eating breakfast.

'Morning.' Kelly said smiling broadly after taking a sip of her morning coffee.

'Morning.' Cate replied taking a seat grabbing the box of cereal in front of her.

'Was that your brother I heard?' Joan asked pouring Cate some orange juice.

'It was, he's just jumped into a shower throwing me out of the bathroom before hand.' Cate smiled as she poured milk onto the dry cereal.

'You had finished in the bathroom though hadn't you?' Joan asked arcing an eyebrow ready to go and give Scotty a talking to if Cate hadn't.

'Yeah I'd finished aunt Joan, no need to go turning on the hot water in the kitchen sink.' Cate laughed as she began to eat.

'How did you sleep last night Kelly?' Joan asked changing the subject.

'Great, possibly the best I have slept in a while. Must be this open country air.' Kelly remarked looking out the large widows to the great outdoors.

'It has that effect on people.' Joan smiled as she nursed her hot cup of coffee.

'Kris not up yet?' Cate asked finishing her cereal, never took her long to shine off a bowl in the morning.

'I think she's outside, she wanted to stretch her legs a little before we headed off, she couldn't have gotten far.' Kelly said as she took a slice of toast from the rack in front of her. Picking up her glass and getting up from her seat Cate headed for the kitchen door.

'I think I might go and catch up with her then, get some of that country air before we head back to the big smoke.' Cate smiled widely as she walked out of the room. It didn't take her long to find Kris who was leaning against the side yard fence looking out over the fields to the far distance.

'Penny for them.' Cate said as she stood beside her friend.

'Just catching a breath that's all. It's so peaceful here.' Kris noted. She really couldn't get over how relaxing it was at the ranch. Cate stood silently beside her nodding in agreement a regretful sad look in her eyes. 'How you been sleeping lately?' Kris asked out of the blue.

'Me? Fine, why'd you ask?' Cate asked surprised Kris had asked the question, what did she know? How did she know?'

'I just remember what it was liking trying to sleep again after being shot, it took a while to get rid of the nightmares and back to a normal sleep pattern, I wondered if you were having the same problem.' Kris explained never taking her eyes off of the view. Cate thought about her answer for a while, mulling over what Kris had said.

'I would say my sleeping pattern has been pretty good, no complaints here.' Cate said, it was half true, until last night her sleep had been back to normal, no problems what so ever. Tossing the rest of her juice across the ground Cate took in a deep breath and looked to Kris. 'Well, best be getting back inside, we're going to have to start making a move soon if we're going to catch that flight.' Kris turned to Cate, resting her arm on the fence she looked at Cate, she knew she was holding back as usual but decided to play along until she was ready.

'Yeah, better not run late, well I won't be late but you and Kelly on the other hand.' Kris joked as she headed back towards the open kitchen door.

'Me and Kelly? Oh no Munroe, if anyone runs late in this group is you short stack, why do you think your sister became a race car driver anyway, it wasn't for the rush it was so she'd never be late again.' Cate teased as she walked in beside her friend. As they entered into the kitchen they found Kelly and Scotty sat at the table finishing breakfast whilst chatting. Smiling to her brother and sister pleased to see they were getting a long, Cate placed her glass into the kitchen sink as she turned to speak. 'We'd better start loading up the car and get going.' She said as she leaned on the table. Kelly agreed excusing herself from the table she headed upstairs with Kris to grab their bags, Cate took her bags from where she left them the night before and took them out to the car Kris and Kelly had hired from the airport.

'You got everything?' James' voice called from Cate's side as he walked over from the stables.

'I think so, anything I'm missing I'll call.' Cate smiled to her uncle as she loaded her bags and turned leaning against the back of the car.

'Are you ready to go back there kiddo?' James asked standing next to Cate also leaning back against the car.

'I'll be fine Uncle James; everyone needs to stop worrying so much.' Cate laughed off her uncle's concern; people were getting just a little too close for comfort. 'I'd better go and see what's holding up the other two.' Cate excused herself from her uncle as she went back into the house. Kris and Kelly were just coming down the stairs as Cate entered. 'You're packed and ready then?' Cate asked with a wicked grin.

'Yeah we're ready, let's get moving.' Kris said as she pushed passed Cate on her way to the car. Kelly watched with amusement as her sister and best friend continued to fool around.

'Let me take that out for ya Kel.' Scotty said as he took Kelly's small case from her before she could stop him, not that she wanted to, there's not many gentleman left in this world, Kelly thought walking out with Scotty.

'We'll say our goodbyes here then Cate.' James said as he took Kelly's luggage from Scotty loading it in the car and then shutting the trunk. Cate turned to look back at the homestead taking it all in as it would be a while before she returned again. Her eyes settled on her aunt and uncle as they stood outside the house, walking up to them Joan opened her arms waiting for her, wrapping her tightly in an embrace.

'Look after yourself out there, don't do anything reckless.' Joan said speaking for both her and her sister, Bette, Cate's mother.

'I won't Aunt Joan, I promise.' Cate said as she was released from Joan and wrapped into a bear hug by her uncle.

'Don't push yourself too hard sweetheart, you don't have to do everything at once or by yourself.' James advised his niece.

'I know Uncle James. I'll call you once I'm back, let you know we got back safe.'

'I hope you get your friend out of the trouble she's in.' Joan said as she waved to Kris and Kelly as they got in to the car.

'Where are you going?' Cate asked her little brother as he got into the backseat of the car next to Kris.

'I'm going with you guys to the airport, I'm not saying my goodbyes here.'

'And how do you intend on getting back?' Cate asked amused.

'Oh please, we know half the town, there'll be someone there who'll give me a ride back.' Scott defended.

'Might as well take him Cate, you're not going to win this argument.' James called over to them. Laughing Cate nodded and indicated for Scotty to get in and buckle up.

'Alright let's get going.' Cate smiled as she walked round to the drivers seat. The airport was a little over an hour and a half drive from the ranch, the group talked about the time Cate and Scotty had spent at the ranch and what they had gotten up to, a lot of which amused Kelly and Kris to the extent that it began to hurt from the amount of laughter that was going on.

Arriving at the airport Cate parked the car in the designated space for rental returns. Scotty jumped out of the car and went to grab the ladies a trolley for their luggage. Throwing the luggage on to it, Scotty pushed it through the airport for them, once checked in it was time to say their goodbyes. Scotty hugged Kris first picking her up off the floor as he did; causing Kris to scream a little with surprise and then smack Scotty's shoulders to have him put her down again whilst she was laughing. Cate watched from a small distance waiting for Scotty to finish saying his goodbyes to the Angels so they could have their own goodbye. Scotty moved to Kelly who stuck out her finger to him warning him like any big sister would.

'Don't even try that on me young man.' Kelly warned with her best threatening smile.

'I wouldn't dream it.' Scotty said as he hugged Kelly who in return squeezed him tightly, she had a lot of time for this young man. Whilst holding Kelly Scotty quietly spoke into her ear so only she could hear. 'She's not as strong as you think, look after her.' Scotty said as he broke away from her. Kelly looked to him a little confused wanting to understand more. He looked towards Cate who was chatting with Kris waiting for him. 'I'd better get this over with before she starts yelling at me.' Scotty smiled to Kelly his emotions just beginning to get the better of him. Kelly let him go as he headed to his sister, Kris seeing this left Cate and walked over to join Kelly.

'Everything alright?' Kris asked seeing the concerned and trouble look on her friends face. Kelly snapped back to attention throwing on her best smiled to hide her worries.

'Yeah, sure, of course, come on let's give them some space, I could do with a coffee.' Kelly said linking arms with Kris and walking towards the food court in the airport. Kris let it slide, she knew these sisters too well she'd get to the bottom of it later, right around the time the pair of them would.

'You sure you'll be ok getting back to the ranch?' Cate asked as she began to open her bag to get her wallet.

'I'm sure, there's Cook's diner just down from here, someone will be there, don't worry about it.' Scotty said forcing Cate to stop looking through her bag. Cate looked up to her brother smiling.

'Alright well just be careful.' Cate warned as she threw her arms around his neck. 'Try and stay out of trouble the rest of the time you're with Uncle James and Aunt Joan.' Cate continued listing off the big sister things she went through each time she left Scotty.

'I will, I will, you know I will.' Scotty said as he separated from Cate's hug.

'Never means I shouldn't remind you every once in a while.'

'Fine then I'll remind you to be careful and not do anything stupid.'

'Well you know I'll try my best.' Cate teased.

'I mean it Cate.' Scotty said his face now serious. Cate placed her hand to the side of his face.

'I know you do and I will be.' Cate promised slipping her arms around her brother for one last long hug, Scotty held Cate tightly his head tucked down onto her shoulder.

'I'm only a phone call away, anytime, day or night.' Scotty said into Cate's ear. Cate nodded as she broke away from him wiping her eyes.

'I know now get out of here before I lose all street cred with Kris and Kelly.' Cate laughed shoving her brother slightly. Scotty smiled a watery smile himself laughing a little. Kissing Cate's forehead he made a quick exit for the main doors. Cate watched him leave and took a deep breath before turning and heading towards Kelly and Kris who were sat drinking coffee waiting for her.

'Everything ok?' Kelly asked smiling as Cate sat with them. Cate smiled back to her sister as she answered.

'Everything's fine so let's get back and sort out Julie.' Cate said switching the subject to work now that the three of them were on their own.

'Good idea.' Kris agreed putting an empty cup down onto the table just as their flight was called.

The flight being a little less than two hours the Angels sat and read magazines in between reading files on what was now Julie's case. Cate was engrossed in the file, going over it several times making sure she hadn't missed anything. Kelly watched her from her window seat, a seat away with Kris in between them. What Scotty had said to her was sticking in her mind, what had happened whilst Cate was away? Kelly of course knew her sister had her limits and had seen the weaker moments Cate had had, not often admittedly but she had seen them but then her sister was very much like her, shut everyone out not letting them see what was going on. It made Kelly realise how much she had missed out on when Cate left to recuperate. Not that she ever disagreed or argued Cate's decision to leave, to go home to her family, away from the agency and the chaos of the job. Sometimes though on the nights when Kelly just couldn't seem to settle or sleep she would have what she would call selfish thoughts that Cate should be home with her recovering after all Kelly was her family, her blood. Kelly shook her head shaking the thoughts away, Cate did what was right for her and that was to leave and now she's coming back, Kelly just hoped she was ready to. It hadn't gone unnoticed by Kelly that a certain spark was missing from her sister; the very mention of the agency and Cate seemed to recoil a little.

'Kelly.' Kris nudged her to get her attention. Kelly turned to Kris snapping out of her thoughts. 'The signs up to put on your seatbelt, we're coming in to land.' Kelly fastened her belt as the plane made its descent.

After what seemed like an age the Angels had gotten off of the plane and collected their luggage, walking through the airport to its entrance/exit they were greeted by Bosley who went straight to Cate giving her a big Bosley hug.

'It's so good to have you home honey.' Bosley cheerily said in his croaky voice which Cate then realised she had missed so much.

'You mean you didn't miss us Bos?' Kris asked feigning hurt feelings as she pouted.

'Well it was quieter in the office.' Bosley teased and then began to laugh as he took the baggage trolley from Kelly pushing it out to the car park and to his station wagon. 'Charlie wanted to hear from you as soon as you got in so I'm afraid ladies we're headed straight to the office.' Bosley explained as they all got into the car.

'That's fine Bos.' Kelly reassured as she got into the back with Cate.

After a short drive they arrived at the freshly rebuilt agency, Cate followed in after everyone into the main office room. It wasn't that much different from it's predecessor except the furniture and art work was newer.

'Who decorated?' Cate asked looking around the room.

'We all chipped in, a team effort when it came to deciding on the paintings and furnishings.' Kris explained as she dropped her self down in to one of the two plush cream coloured couches. 'You like?' She asked watching Cate look around as Kelly went to the new and slightly bigger bar switching on the coffee pot.

'I do, it's great. Not too official and not too domestic, a nice balance.'

'See Bosley, we told you this was the right direction to go this time.' Kelly teased as she set out cups on the bar for coffee when the phone rang. Bosley spun round in his desk chair to pick up the receiver after a few brief words he hung up the phone hitting the speaker box button.

'Hello Angels.' Charlie's cheerful voice floated through the room. Cate smiled as she heard it again. Charlie rarely called Cate whilst she was away, he gave her the distance she was after whilst she healed and spent time with her family. 'Cate, it's wonderful to have you back. How are you feeling?' Charlie asked with deepest concern. Cate sat on one of the bar stools as she answered, stretching her arm along the bar as she did.

'I'm fine Charlie, rested and ready to get back to work.' Cate said with a smile, it wasn't a complete lie, she was rested and she thought she was ready. That was until she walked through the office doors. She looked across to her hand as she stretched out her fingers whilst she spoke.

'That's good to hear because we're going to need a full team if we're to get Julie out of this mess.' Charlie explained.

'What's the latest Charlie?' Kris asked sitting forward slightly as she listened. Cate was pleased the attention was off of her for a moment, she could hear what was going on in the background but wasn't really paying attention. Kelly watched her sister as she was sat in front of her, Kelly noticed something but couldn't tell what it was, later she thought, she would speak with her later. Kelly poured the coffee and began handing the cups out; taking her own cup Kelly walked across to the couches and sat opposite Kris.

'Well I leave you to it Angels, check in with me soon.' Charlie said as he finished going through his latest news on Julie's case.

'Will do Charlie.' Bosley agreed as he disconnected the call. 'Oh Cate, here I've been keeping this for you.' Bosley said turning to the bookshelf behind him pulling out from it a medium sized dark stained wooden box. Cate got up from the bar stool and took the box from Bosley, sitting down next to Kris she set the box on the table. Opening the box lid it revealed Cate's gun with her license and ID card placed on top of it. 'Thought you might want it back.' Bosley said as they all watched her. Cate ran her fingers tracing the line of the 9mm, picking up her ID cards she placed them into her back jeans pocket closing the box as she did.

'Great, thanks Bos.' Cate replied giving her best appreciative smile.

'Well with that done you'd better be getting yourselves off to see Julie.' Bosley said as he started shuffling papers on his desk.

'Good idea Bos.' Kris said getting up first. 'Come on I'll drive us.' Kris grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

'Right behind ya.' Cate called swooping round after Kris forgetting about the wooden box on the table, Kelly hadn't as she watched them both leave.

'Kelly.' Bosley started as he noticed Kelly still sat on the couch. 'Aren't you going with them?' Kelly got up slowly keeping her eyes set on the wooden box. 'Kelly.' Bosley urged concern beginning to creep into his tone.

'Yeah Bos, I'm going. We'll see you later.' Kelly said throwing him a quick smile over her shoulder as she rushed out of the room after the other two Angels.

The drive to the jail was quiet, the Angels didn't seem to have much to speak about all lost in their own thoughts. As Kris reached the jail's car park she spoke up.

'I was thinking, maybe it would be better if Cate went in alone.'

'What? Why?' Cate asked confused.

'Well, she's been clamming up with us, maybe a surprise visit from you…'

'Might just shake her up enough to speak.' Kelly finished for Kris agreeing, plus, Kelly thought, it gives her a moment alone to speak with Kris.

'Alright, makes sense, hopefully you're both right and she'll start talking.' Cate said as Kris parked the car. Kelly got out of the Cobra pulling the seat forward so Cate could exit as she turned around to face Kelly and Kris Kelly got back into the car. 'So I'll see you two back here in a few.' Cate smiled slapping the roof of the car as she turned and left. Kelly watched her sister walk up to the gate to be let in before she turned to Kris.

'Kris, have you noticed anything different with Cate?' Kelly asked diving straight into what was on her mind.

'What do you mean Kel?' Kris asked turning in her seat to face Kelly.

'I'm not sure but Scotty said something to me at the airport when we were saying good bye.'

'What did he say?'

'That Cate isn't as strong as I think she is.' Kelly repeated Scotty's words propping her elbow on the car windows frame resting her head on her hand.

'We all know that, as much as Cate tries to hide it from us we know.' Kris said looking a little confused at Scotty's comment.

'Exactly but it has me worried, we don't know what Cate was going through whilst she was away.'

'Or what she's still going through.' Kris said almost in thought as she hooked her index finger onto the bottom of the cars steering wheel. Kelly looked to Kris quickly concerned, what had she seen that Kelly had missed.

'What do you mean Kris?'

'Well, before we left the ranch this morning I asked how she was doing, how she'd been sleeping in particular.' Kris explained. Kelly nodded knowing all too well the nightmares that came after such a traumatic experience as being shot.

'What did she say?' Kelly asked already knowing the answer.

'Nothing really, said she was sleeping fine.'

'You don't believe her?' Kelly asked rubbing her neck as tension built there.

'Do you?' Kris asked tilting her head to one side.

'No I don't. Did you notice the way she reacted to her gun?' Kelly asked to which Kris shook her head having missed whatever Kelly had seen. 'She didn't take it out of the box; in fact it's still sat on the table back at the office. She picked up her ID cards but that was all. It was the look she gave it though.' Kelly explained.

'What kind of a look?' Kris asked.

'It's hard to explain, but I'd say she doesn't want to be any where near that gun if she could help it.'

'Cate's been away for a long time, from gunfire and such things. Maybe she's a little gun shy.'

'She's a better shot that I am Kris, the best on the team.' Kelly admitted. 'Maybe we should talk to her, I just don't want to rush my little sister into something if she isn't ready.'

'Best tread carefully then, you know what Cate's like.'

'You mean her temper? Yeah, I know it only too well.' Kelly smiled a little remembering very clearly the loud arguments the pair had had. Kris reached over to Kelly placing her hand on her knee and squeezing it slightly.

'Don't worry Kel; we'll talk to her see if we can help. I'll be with you.' Kris smiled reassuringly which Kelly reflected nodding her thanks.

Cate walked through the visitor's section of the jail being led back to a private interview room. The guard opened the door for her motioning towards the table and chairs in the centre of the room.

'One of my colleagues will be through with your friend in a moment of two.' He said with a sneer rather than a smile. Even without it being proven having a possible cop killer in the jail had all of the guards angry. Cate thanked the guard and took a seat at the table her back to the door she had just come through. After a few moments Cate was bored with sitting and stood up beginning to impatiently pace up and down the room. The door on the opposite side of the room opened, Cate was out of sight behind the door to the guard and Julie as they entered.

'Look I'm telling you now I don't want to talk to them I have nothing to say that they want to hear so just take me back already.' Julie complained as she was pushed into her seat roughly by the guard.

'Shut up cop killer.' The guard growled.

'Thank you guard, you can leave now.' Cate said stepping out so she could be seen.

'Cate!' Julie looked up surprised to see her friend. The guard looked Cate over before snorting and walking out of the room closing the door behind him. Cate walked slowly to the table, her eyes still on the closed door as she sat opposite Julie.

'Got yourself in a bit of a bad situation here huh?' Cate said looking straight at Julie, who looked exhausted no other signs of trouble though, no visible bruising or anything of the like.

'I'm alright Cate.' Julie eventually said knowing what Cate was looking for. 'No police brutality in here.' Julie said flicking her head and smiling weakly.

'So what did you do over your summer vacation?' Cate asked lacing her fingers together as she rested her arms in front of her on the table.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3.**

Cate and Julie sat silently in the interview room both looking to one another.

'How's the family?' Julie asked breaking the silence.

'How's jail?' Cate countered.

'It's a little more crowded than I thought it might be, three square meals, can't complain.' Julie answered staring off into the distance.

'For God's sake Julie!' Cate snapped as she got up from her seat and paced around the room rubbing her hand over her right shoulder, it had become a habit after the shooting. Julie noticed and looked to Cate concerned as she was pacing.

'Are you alright?' Julie asked Cate spun around to her about to yell at her again when she saw Julie looking towards her shoulder. Cate looked herself and dropped her hand to her side.

'I'm fine, pissed off with you but fine. What's going on Julie, why aren't you talking to any of us about what happened?' Cate asked sitting down again leaning across the table.

'I've told the police and the lawyer Charlie got for me what happened, where I was the night he was shot.'

'Yeah I know all of that Julie, I've read the transcripts but I know you, I know there's more to this than you're letting on so please will you just tell me.' Cate pleaded with her friend who was turning out to be as stubborn as she was. 'What is it with us Angels, why are we all so damned pig headed?' Cate asked loudly as she fell back in to her seat still looking at Julie. 'What about Marcus?' Cate asked leaning onto the table again.

'What about him?' Julie asked shifting in her seat. Cate smiled inwardly to herself, she hit a chord.

'Where was he when all of this was going on?'

'I don't know.' Julie answered breezily brushing off the question.

'What do you mean you don't know, you were practically living with each other when we last spoke?' Cate said confused watching Julie's every move.

'You've been out of contact for a long time Cate, things change.'

'Like what?' Cate asked pushing Julie making her speak. 'Like what Julie?' Cate pressed in a harsher tone.

'We broke up ok!' Julie yelled at Cate a look of thunder across her face. Cate was taken aback; Marcus and Julie were such a good couple, tight without marriage on the cards. 'Alright Cate, we broke up.' Julie said a little quieter this time her eyes filling with water.

'What happened?' Cate asked a little quieter with concern.

'I ended it.' Julie said shrugging her shoulders wiping her eyes before the tears fell.

'Why and when?' Cate continued asking questions.

'The relationship had just run its course Cate, that's all so I ended it a week or so ago.' Julie explained.

'Whilst all of this was going on.' Cate stated rather than asked not believing everything she was being told, there was more to it and Julie wasn't telling. 'Have you heard from him since?'

'No, he went away for a while, some kind of work exchange.' Julie explained crossing her arms across her chest. Cate sat silently nodding her head taking in the information her brow furrowed.

'So if I went to his place he wouldn't be there, wouldn't know what's happening?' Cate said gesturing with her hand in the air as she did.

'I don't know Cate, I've been a little pre-occupied.' Julie said sharply narrowing her eyes at Cate starting to get angry and annoyed again.

'Don't give the look or attitude Julie, we're trying to help you here, I'm trying to help you.' Cate said looking at Julie with wide angry eyes.

'You know what?' Julie began to say.

'No what, what have you got to say Julie because you've told me nothing so far! What are you holding back Julie, what can be so bad that you wouldn't tell me, is it worth your life?' Cate demanded, slamming her fist onto the table.

'Don't be so over dramatic.'

'Over dramatic! Damn Julie, don't you get it? You're here for the murder of a cop, if they convict you, you can be given the death penalty.'

'It won't come to that.'

'How do you know that Julie, what's going on?' Cate demanded again standing and leaning across the table at Julie. Julie had to admit to herself it was pretty intimidating. Julie sat quietly; mouth shut not saying anything else, Cate looked to her for a long time before giving in. Exasperated she let out a heavy sigh and fell down in to the chair again. 'I'll find out Julie, you know I will with Kelly and Kris helping, we'll find out what's so important that you're withholding from us.' Cate said hoping it might make Julie say something, even if it was to warn them off at least then Cate would have an idea of something else going on making Julie act so stupid. Instead Julie held her ground and said nothing, just tilted her head and looked at Cate narrowing her eyes as she did. Just then the door Cate used to enter into the interview room opened.

'If you do find anything out I hope you'll share it with me.' A woman's voice said a voice Cate recognized. Turning Cate saw a tall woman with long straight brown hair tied back into a high ponytail, she wore a black trouser suit with the suit jacket fastened by one button showing her red blouse she wore under it. She had a porcelain complexion and mysterious green eyes. 'Nice to see you again Cate.' The woman said as she walked to the end of the table. Cate leant back in her seat as she looked at the woman.

'Annabelle, what are you doing here?' Cate asked surprised to see an old friend.

'You two know each other?' Julie asked pointing to the two of them.

'Julie, Anna worked with me, Kris and Kelly on a case years ago at the time Anna, you were on the force but I thought you joined the FBI?' Cate asked looking to Annabelle confused as to why she was here now.

'I did Cate and I'm here working this case.' Annabelle explained smiling at the two Angels. Cate nodded slowly letting the information slip into her brain.

'You're working a shooting, isn't that a little out of the Fed's jurisdiction?'

'It was a police detective that was shot and killed Cate; we came in to make sure things are done correctly, without any accidents happening along the way.' Annabelle explained still smiling.

'I see, well I suppose you're here to talk with Julie?'

'I am, yes.'

'Shouldn't her lawyer be present?' Cate asked finding this all a little strange.

'He's on his way, just signing papers at the desk.' Annabelle said pointing to the door she entered through indicating that the lawyer was just behind her. The door opened and the tall, sleek man walked in.

'Well I suppose I'd better leave y'all to it.' Cate conceded as she got up from her seat. 'I'll be back soon Julie, we'll talk more then.' Cate said more as a warning than a suggestion as she began to leave the room. Just as she opened the door to leave Annabelle spoke up.

'I meant what I said Cate, if you find out anything I expect you and your associates to share the information.' Annabelle said. Cate got the feeling there was a threat wrapped up in what she was just told. Without turning or speaking Cate carried on out of the room and left. Lot's of thoughts ran around her head and the surprise show of Annabelle only added to them. Walking out into the car park Kris's Cobra was still parked where she had left them; looking at her watch Cate found she had been in with Julie for well over an hour.

'How'd you get on?' Kris asked as Cate approached the car, Kris was stood leaning against her car waiting tired of sitting cooped up in the car.

'Did you two know the Fed's were involved in this?' Cate asked as she reached the car, resting her arms across the roof of the car as Kelly got out of the car also looking to Cate and Kris across the roof. Kris and Kelly looked to one another with the same baffled expression. 'I'll take that as a no then.' Cate quipped.

'There's an FBI agent in there talking to Julie?' Kelly asked.

'Not any agent either.' Cate began to explain as she got in to the back of the Cobra.

'Who?' Kris asked getting into the driver's seat once Cate was in.

'Annabelle Drake.'

'Annabelle!' Kelly and Kris said together shocked. Throughout the drive home Cate told Kris and Kelly what she and Julie had spoken about or had not spoken about was a better way to describe it.

'I just can't believe Annabelle is working the case.' Kris said as she walked in to the office followed by Kelly and Cate. Bosley was still sat where they had left him behind his desk.

'How did it go?' Bosley asked as the Angels took their seats on the couches in the centre of the room.

'Brick wall.' Cate said as she stood again walking to the bar taking a bottle of coke from the fridge behind it offering the same to Kris and Kelly who both nodded excepting a drink each.

'But Cate did discover that Annabelle Drake is working the case for the FBI.' Kelly told Bosley as Cate poured drinks bringing them over to them all.

'What did she have to say?' Bosley asked as Cate sat down next to Kelly again.

'That should we find out anything we share that information with her.' Cate said after taking a drink from her glass of coke.

'Share information?' Bosley repeated.

'Yeah, if I didn't know any better from the way Anna said it I'd swear she was threatening us.'

'Threatening us?' Kris replied swinging her legs up beside her on the couch.

'Well, it seemed that way, just as I was leaving she just said, "I meant what I said…I expect you and your associates to share information". Cate reiterated for the team.

'I'd say you were right on the money.' Kelly said resting her glass on her knee. 'She's worried that we'll find a way to get Julie out of jail before she can.'

'Or before she can prove Julie guilty.' Kris said looking at the coffee table lost in thought.

'Kris.' Kelly looked to her young friend.

'I'm sorry but if Julie doesn't tell us something soon then we won't be able to stop what may happen next.' Kris sighed as she slumped back into the sofa.

'That's why I'm going to visit Marcus tomorrow.' Cate said resting her head on her hand leaning against the arm of the sofa she shared with Kelly.

'I thought Julie told you he had left town for some job exchange.' Kris said puzzled.

'She did but I don't believe her, I want to see for myself that he's not around right now and find out why they broke up.' Cate said determined.

'Some things are private Cate.' Kelly warned her sister turning her head to look at her.

'Not this time Kel.' Cate said as she got up. 'Well, we can't do any more today and I'd really like to get home, shower and straighten the place up a little, haven't been home for a while.' Cate smiled to her friends.

'Your car is parked out back Cate, I had it brought here just after you left so we could keep an eye on it.' Bosley told her as he opened his desk draw producing her car keys.

'Great thanks Bos.' Cate smiled as he tossed her the keys. 'I'll catch up with you all tomorrow then?' Cate looked around the room as they all nodded to one another as Cate walked out the door. Once Cate had left the room Kelly and Kris looked to each other across the coffee table.

'She left it again.' Kris noted nodding towards the wooden box on the table.

'Yeah.' Kelly sighed, it hadn't gone unnoticed to her either that Cate had again left her gun behind in the office. 'Give her a head start and then follow after.' Kelly decided to which Kris nodded.

'Is everything ok?' Bosley asked concerned understanding half of their conversation.

'We hope it will be Bos, we hope it will be.' Kelly gave him a half smile as she finished her drink sitting back in the sofa giving herself a moment before she and Kris left to confront her sister and what was bothering her.

After a short drive home Cate pulled into her drive outside her bungalow. Stepping out of her car she leaned against it looking at the place she called home.

'Hello stranger.' She said with a smile. 'It's been a while, who knows maybe this time I'll stay a while longer.' Cate laughed at herself for talking to a building as she walked up and unlocked the front door entering in she found her bags from her trip on the living room floor. Bosley had obviously been here to drop them off for her whilst she was at the jail with Julie and the others. Grabbing them she threw the bag she knew contained her laundry towards her side door that lead to her garage where her washer and drier were kept. Heading to the back of the house and her bedroom she walked in to the room tossing her other bag with clean clothes and other bits and pieces on to her bed. Once unpacked Cate grabbed her baggy, ripped flare jeans and an old red and blue checked shirt and headed for the bathroom turning on the shower which once was warm enough she stepped into.

Kelly and Kris arrived at Cate's home with take out food, the pretence of bringing dinner so they could speak with Cate. Letting themselves in using Kelly's spare key they walked in hearing the shower running. Putting their purses down Kelly placed the wooden box containing Cate's gun onto the coffee table as she headed towards the bathroom. Kris walked into the kitchen with the food putting it onto the kitchen bar so she could grab plates and cutlery.

Kelly tapped onto the bathroom door as she heard the shower being shut off.

'Cate?' Kelly waited patiently for a reply.

'Kelly? That you?' Cate asked sort of surprised her sister was here.

'Yeah, brought some dinner round and some company.' Kelly said back in a cheery tone. Cate was stepping into her jeans as she listened smiling to herself knowing that her sister had ulterior motives but let her carry on anyway. With a towel draped over her shoulder keeping her wet hair up off her back Cate unlocked the door pulling it open. With her back to her sister Cate continued talking to her.

'Kris here with you?' Cate asked knowing the answer.

'Hey.' Kris happily said as she appeared at the doorframe next to Kelly. Still with her back to them Cate grabbed her shirt and started to put it on, Kris had never seen the extent of the scars on Cate's back, she could even point out the one from the bullet that went through her shoulder when she saved Jill, the first time they all met. Kris turned away and walked back to the kitchen not wanting to see it any more. Kelly watched her young friend leave understanding what Kris must be feeling, after all she had the same emotions over the scars but in a weird way had gotten used seeing them, they were after all, apart of her sister now.

'What's for dinner then?' Cate asked as she finished fastening her shirt and turned to face Kelly toweling her hair dry as she did.

'Chinese. We each got our favourites.' Kris called from the kitchen as she was plating up the food.

'So half the menu then?' Cate quipped.

'Only the left half.' Kelly and Kris said together without realizing they were saying it together. Cate shook her head laughing at and with them both.

'Well great 'cause I'm starved.' Cate admitted placing her hand to her stomach; they hadn't really eaten all day.

'Thought you might say that.' Kelly teased as she handed her sister a plate, which Cate carried over to her dining room table. The Angels began to eat at first in silence as they just enjoyed the food, then as Cate got up to get drinks for them all she decided to open up the conversation.

'So what really brings you here?' She asked looking to them both with a raised eyebrow. 'Not that I don't like the company or the food, but I know you two and you're double teaming for something so speak up, what's on your minds?' Cate asked as she set glasses of wine down for Kris and Kelly and a soda for herself. Kris and Kelly looked to one another and Kelly took the lead.

'You are.' Kelly simply said as she picked up her glass of wine. Cate almost choking on her drink looked to them both.

'Me, why?' Cate asked innocently knowing full well where this might be going.

'We're worried about you Cate.' Kris chipped in.

'Worried about me? Isn't Julie the one in jail for murder, isn't she the one we're meant to be worried about?' Cate asked trying to get away from the subject.

'She is but right here and now, we're worried about you.' Kelly repeated. 'You left your gun at the office today.'

'And?' Cate asked looking to the pair of them confused. 'What is that supposed to mean other than I'm absent minded.'

'You're not absent minded.' Kelly stated not allowing her sister to wriggle out of this one. Cate put her fork down onto her plate and pushed the plate away from her looking at that rather than her sister and best friend.

'You're not being honest with us Cate.' Kris continued.

'In what way?' Cate asked starting to get annoyed she hated people prying into her business and these two knew that.

'Back at the ranch I asked how you were sleeping.'

'And I told you I was sleeping fine.'

'Cate, I had the room next to yours I heard you when you woke that night, when you went downstairs. I was about to follow when I heard Scotty come home and I left the two of you to it.'

'So I had a bad dream, what of it?'

'How often have you been having the dream?' Kelly asked concerned, she knew her sister hated being questioned this way put in the spotlight, in this way they were very much alike. Cate didn't answer just looked to her sister with an angry look. 'How often Cate?' Kelly pressed causing Cate to slam her hand on the table as she got up and walked through to the lounge in the open planned bungalow. Taking a deep breath and sighing Cate began to speak.

'I was sleeping fine. In fact until the pair of you came to the ranch I hadn't had that dream in months. They started when I went home to Mustang, back to moms. Scotty would stay up with me, talk through the nightmares with me staying beside me until I fell asleep again. We left for the ranch after a couple of weeks of me being home.'

'A couple of weeks, I thought you stayed in Mustang until your physiotherapy was done?' Kelly asked surprised at this piece of information.

'What did Bette have to say about that?' Kris asked as surprised as Kelly.

'I wouldn't know she's currently not speaking to me.' Cate replied stood with one hand on her hip as the other hand clenched in a fist Cate would aimlessly knock into her thigh. Kelly and Kris both looked to one another and then to Cate speechless.

'What happened?' Kelly asked surprised the most to hear Bette, a woman who cared first and foremost for her children, was not talking to her daughter.

'I was shot and nearly died. Mama didn't take kindly to it.' Cate quipped tilting her head to one side with an annoyed smirk.

'Cate.' Kelly scolded. Cate walked over to her sofa and sat down on to it. Sat with her elbows resting on her knees Cate buried her face in to her hands, suddenly she felt drained. Sitting back and putting her feet up on the coffee table she began to explain as Kris and Kelly came and joined her in the living room.

'When I got to Mustang everything seemed fine, mama was worried but she seemed calm that should have been my first clue. She went with me to meet the physiotherapist who was going to be working with me; her name was Martie, really nice lady very helpful and patient with me, just as well. She first checked my shoulder wound to see for herself the extent of the damage done, mama hadn't seen for herself the actual wound and left the room when Martie began checking things over. When we got home mama flipped she demanded that I leave the agency and work instead either full time at my motel, with Danny at the family business or with aunt Joan and uncle James at the ranch.'

'You weren't going to do any of that.' Kris chipped in from the sidelines knowing Cate and her stubborn streak.

'No, so I thought it best to leave and go to the ranch to finish recuperating there and Scotty came with me, he was on summer break anyway and would be working at the ranch; he prefers it to working at the trucking company with Danny.'

'How did Bette take it?' Kelly asked quietly taking everything that she and Kris were being told still in disbelief by a lot of it.

'She took it the best way my mother can. Sent us off with love and told us to be careful, well she told Scotty anyway, he passed on the message to me.' Cate laughed slightly to herself.

'I'm sorry Cate.' Kelly finally said after the room had fallen silent for a few moments. Cate smiled to her sister nodding her head.

'She'll get over it.' Cate smiled running her hands through her damp hair.

'So tell us about the dream, it might help?' Kris suggested as Cate looked at her with eyebrows raised doubting it.

'It's just the shipyard where Kreeg shot me, the scenes all seem to run through in a jumble, all leading to the shooting and then the shot fires and that's where I wake up. It'd been gone for so long I was getting used to have a full nights sleep again.' Cate smiled sadly as she got up to grab her drink for the dining room table, Kelly looked down to her hands that lay in her lap, she felt guilty for causing her sister pain, she never wanted to do that.

'How did you get rid of them before?' Kris asked turning her head slightly to speak to Cate whilst stood at the table her back to them.

'I stayed away from here.' Cate whispered to herself.

'You what?' Kris asked not hearing what Cate had said.

'I stayed awake most nights and talked them through with Scotty and they just drifted away.' Cate shrugged as she walked back to the couch; drink in hand.

'Is that why you don't want to be anywhere near your gun?' Kelly asked.

'Can't say that I thought about it Kel.'

'Yeah you have.' Kris countered Cate looked to her friend, jaw locked and eyes darkening which bothered both Kris and Kelly.

'Cate I watched your reaction with it when you opened the box back in the office. You didn't even want to touch it; you barely looked at it before closing the box again.'

'What is this fascination with my gun and me? So I didn't pick it up and cradle it like a baby, so what!' Cate snapped her patience beginning to wear thin of this.

'You're the best shot on the team Cate.' Kelly spoke up calmly.

'I'm flattered Kelly really but you're both just as good as I am.'

'No we're not.' Kris chipped in with a smile. 'It worries us that you're afraid to pick up a gun again.' Cate looked at Kris her head tilted to one side, moving forward Cate put her drinking glass down on the coffee table and picked up the box containing her gun.

'Would it make you both happy if I took the gun out of the box, showed you I wasn't 'afraid' to handle it?' Cate flippantly asked as she flipped open the box revealing the black 9mm gun.

'It would make me happier if you took it with you to the shooting range with me tomorrow.' Kris said watching Cate's reaction; Cate shut the box again with a loud snap and put it back on the table.

'I can't tomorrow; I'll be hunting down Marcus all day.' Cate defiantly said.

'In the evening then.' Kelly countered crossing her arms across her chest being just as stubborn as her sister. Cate looked to Kelly then to Kris and gave in; there was no winning this argument.

'Fine.' Cate angrily but slowly said controlling her temper, she'd find a way out of it tomorrow.

'We're only trying to help you Cate.' Kris said calmly not appreciating her friend's tone.

'Really Kris? Because it feels more like an intervention.' Cate snapped.

'Cate.' Kelly scolded.

'No Kelly, I mean, what is it you're both really afraid of?'

'We're afraid that you're not telling us what's going on with you that you need our help and you're not asking for it as usual!' Kris's voice began to rise in anger as she spoke.

'Right, so it's not that you're afraid that your team is beginning to wane? I'm no good to the team if I can't shoot a gun right?'

'That's not fair Cate and you know that's not it! God! Why are you so infuriating when people are only trying to help you?' Kris got up quickly from her seat spinning away from Cate as her frustration got the better of her.

'Look we're all tired why don't we just call it a night?' Kelly suggested as she held her hands up for peace to settle once more.

'Fine. Good idea.' Kris said sighing heavily as she did. Picking up her jacket and purse Kris headed for the door. 'I'll see you both in the morning at the office.' Kris opened the door and left.

'Well that could have gone a little better.' Kelly noted pushing her hair over her shoulders as she looked at the closed front door. Cate scoffed as she got up from the couch and began to clear the dining room table. Kelly sat and watched her so many thoughts running through her mind. 'Why didn't you tell me about Bette?'

She watched Cate as her shoulders slumped a little at Kelly's question. Taking the plates through to the kitchen Cate placed them in to the sink as she answered.

'I didn't want you to worry, you were doing enough of that already anyway I just didn't want to add to it.' Cate explained as she began to run water in to the sink.

'I wish you had told me.' Kelly softly said as she got up to help her sister wash up taking the drinking glasses over to her in the kitchen.

'I wish a lot of things as well Kel but it's a bit late for that now.' Cate said with a small smile.

'Kris is only worried about you.' Kelly said as she began to dry the plates Cate had washed and placed on the draining board. 'We both are.'

'I know you are Kel, really I do and I appreciate it but I'm not the one in serious trouble right now Julie is.' Cate looked over to her sister who was wiping dry the plate in her hand; she looked so sad and worried. 'Are you staying the night?' Cate asked which seemed to cheer Kelly up a little straight away.

'If you're happy with me staying?' Kelly asked watching for any signs that her sister wasn't.

'Well I'm assuming the bed in the spare room is made up.'

'Oh yeah it is.' Kelly let slip, she'd had Cate's home ready and prepared for her return for weeks now, the spare room made up and ready just incase Kelly or someone might need it. Cate looked at her older sister the smile this time reaching from her mouth to her eyes.

'Well I guess you're staying the night then.' Cate laughed to which Kelly joined in on. The sisters spent the rest of the night tidying away the take away meal they had all had and then catching up on what each other had missed out on whilst they were apart. After a couple of hours they decided it was time to turn in and call it a night. Cate thought that having spoken about her nightmare and having Kelly in the house she wouldn't suffer from it this night, if only that were the case, the sisters slept peacefully in their rooms for a good few hours when Cate's night began to be disturbed by all to familiar images at exactly the same point as always Cate bolted upright in bed breathing heavily her left hand covering the scar of her wound. Kelly entered the room within an instant sitting on Cate's bed. Cate was sat up on her side, her back to Kelly.

'Are you alright?' Kelly first asked placing her hands onto Cate's legs that were covered by her duvet. Cate looked to her sister brushing her hair over her head out of her eyes.

'I'm fine.' Cate said a little breathlessly lowering her hand from her shoulder. Kelly reached out to her about to lay her hand onto Cate's right shoulder when Cate flinched away. Kelly recoiled her hand instantly taken aback by her sister's reaction. Leaning back, Cate leant against her head board just taking deep slow breaths calming herself, Kelly still looking worried sat in front of her sister watching her every move.

'I'm sorry Kelly I didn't mean to...' Kelly shook her head to Cate, she didn't need to apologise, she understood. 'You should go back to bed Kel, I'm fine really.'

'Not likely, move over.' Kelly ordered as she climbed over Cate's legs and sat beside her pulling her little sister into her to which Cate didn't argue. 'Was it the same dream?'

'Nightmare, yeah and always the same place I wake, just as the bullet hits me.'

'You're safe now though, they can't hurt you anymore.' Kelly reassured, Cate laughed a little at this. 'What's so funny?' Kelly asked surprised at Cate's reaction to her words of comfort.

'That's exactly what Scotty would say.' Cate smiled thinking of her little brother. 'He acted more like the older sibling of the two of us whilst we were together. I think he enjoyed it too.'

'I'm sure he did, being the one who got to take care of you for a change. It doesn't happen often you know.' Kelly said thinking about it openly.

'I know, I kind of like it that way.' Cate admitted.

'I know you do sweetie but you need to let us in every once in a while.'

'Kelly…' Cate began to say something and stopped herself.

'What is it?' Kelly pressed holding her sister against her resting her chin on top of Cate's head.

'What if I can't do this anymore?' Cate finally asked out loud what she had been thinking and asking herself for a while now.

'Can't do what?' Kelly asked fearing she knew what Cate meant.

'Be a detective anymore, what if all of what has happened has finally flipped that switch in me causing me to lose my nerve?' Cate asked. Kelly shut her eyes tightly, this was the question Kelly dreaded Cate would ask or would be thinking.

'You've still got the nerve Cate, you're just a little out of practice is all, won't take you long to be back on your feet with the rest of us.' Kelly said trying to sound as positive as possible.

'I hope you're right.' Cate sighed as she began to drift off back to sleep again. Kelly stayed with her throughout the night, the nightmare didn't return and both sisters slept through until Cate's alarm sounded.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Sorry it's been a while, but here are two chapters not just one and this chpt is quite long!**_

_**AJ5**_

* * *

**Chapter 4.**

Kelly stood in Cate's kitchen drinking a cup of coffee whilst reading over the headlines of the newspaper as Cate finished getting dressed for the day. From Cate's bedroom Kelly could hear a lot of thumping and movement, after a while Kelly got bored of waiting and went through to the bedroom to find out what was taking so long.

'What are you doing?' Kelly asked as she saw her rifling through several pair of boots, sneakers and other shoes.

'I'm trying to find the pair to this!' Cate said holding up a tan leather cowboy boot.

'Weren't you wearing those yesterday?' Kelly asked confused, sure that her sister was wearing them the day before.

'No they're different, aha! Here it is.' Cate happily called pulling the mate of the boot in her hand from under several other shoes and boots. Sitting on the end of her bed Cate pulled her boots on pulling the leg of her blue jeans over them making sure they fell right not flipped up anywhere. 'Good, all ready to go.' Cate smiled looking to her sister who was smirking. 'What?'

'They look exactly the same.' Kelly said laughing a little as she did. Cate looked to her boots then her sister again rolling her eyes.

'They're different, the stitching pattern is different.' Cate defended as she walked out of her room passed Kelly.

'Right, of course it is.' Kelly teased 'What are you doing now?' Kelly asked as Cate took the wooden box from the cupboard she had placed it in the night before.

'Putting this in a safer place.' Cate explained as she opened a smaller cupboard at the end of the lounge, which contained a small safe. Putting in the code Cate opened the safe door and placed the box, gun inside, into the safe closing the door locking it again. Kelly watched a little disappointed Cate wasn't taking it with her. 'I don't need it with me Kel.' Cate said seeing her sister's expression.

'I just wish you'd at least carry it with you, for protection at least.'

'I'm going to see Marcus, Kelly and unless a kitten or little poodle decides to jump up to my ankle and bite me I don't think I'll need my gun for that.'

'In our line of work Cate you never know when you might need your gun.' Kelly warned in all seriousness.

'I know our line of work just as well as you do, I didn't always carry a gun with me Kelly. I only ever took when I thought I might actually need it with me. I don't need it so it's best it stays locked up here, out of harm's way.' Cate took her leather jacket from its hanging place by the side of her front door grabbing her car keys from the small bowl they were in by the door also she opened the door to leave. 'Come on, I'll drop you off at the office on my way to see Marcus.' Cate offered.

'You're not stopping at the office first? Charlie won't like that.' Kelly warned as she took her purse and jacket from where she left it hanging over the kitchen stool and headed for the front door.

'He'll get over it.' Cate said as she ushered her sister out of the bungalow shutting and locking the door after them.

'Cate.' Kelly began to warn in her best big sister scolding voice.

'What?' Cate asked exasperated already with the conversation. Kelly sighed heavily and let it go.

'Never mind let's just get going, I suppose I'd better not be late.' Kelly gave in as they got into the black Mustang. 'You don't even know if Marcus is there.' Kelly said as Cate backed the car out onto the road.

'Well I know where to look for him if he isn't there.' Cate said as she drove. Kelly looked over to her sister with a look of doubt. 'I've known Marcus for years Kel, if he's off somewhere licking his wounds I'll find him.' Cate smirked. After their fifteen minute drive Cate pulled up in front of the agency for Kelly to get out.

'Call us later, let us know how you get on.' Kelly said as she leaned down to Cate's driver side window which was open.

'I will, I will.'

'And don't forget the shooting range later with Kris.' Kelly reminded Cate who rolled her eyes as she nodded.

'Yes I'll meet you here later, I promise.' Cate said as Kelly moved away from the car so Cate could drive on. Shaking her head Kelly walked into the agency for her morning meeting with the rest of the team. Cate drove on Marcus's veterinary clinic shaking her head and sighing. 'Ok, let's see what Marcus can tell me about Julie.'

Cate arrived at the clinic parking in the space she always used at the back of the building. Entering in she found the clinic as busy as ever with dog's whimpering and barking and cats hissing and meowing.

'Caitlin!' A woman's voice called out, Cate turned to look for the voice and smiled when she saw the little old woman sat behind the reception desk.

'Hi Daisy.' Cate smiled and waved to her.

'Go on through honey.' Daisy said waving Cate to go through to Marcus' office. Knocking as she entered the room Cate walked in not finding who she hoped though.

'I'm sorry, I was looking for Marcus.' Cate said as a pretty brunette woman looked up from where she sat behind Marcus's desk going through paper work.

'That's alright. Marcus isn't here though, can I help at all?'

'Do you know where Marcus is, I'm sorry I don't know your name.' Cate said before she continued on asking questions.

'It's Tasha, I'm a friend of Marcus's.' Tasha said as she stood up from behind the desk holding her hand out across it which Cate accepted shaking it.

'I see, I'm Cate, an old friend of his. So the two of you are good friends?' Cate asked going the long way around to ask how close the pair were.

'Marcus let me come here after I graduated; he took me under his wing so to speak. He called me a few weeks ago and asked if I'd look after his patients whilst he went out of town for a while.'

'Right, so you haven't actually seen Marcus yourself then?'

'No, is he in some kind of trouble or something?' Tasha asked a look of concern crossing her face.

'I don't think so, it's just that I really need to talk to him about someone.' Cate explained without explaining too much.

'About Julie?' Tasha asked with a knowing nod as she sat back down again indicating for Cate to take the seat opposite her.

'You know Julie?'

'No, but Marcus had told me about her in letters and when we spoke over the phone we he asked me to come here. He told me they had broken up, poor Marcus, he was so upset about it.' Tasha explained whilst Cate sat listening and nodding her head knowing how upset Marcus would be. 'I would have liked to have been there for him but he was gone before I arrived.'

'So you and Marcus have a history together then?'

'Only a working one, he's really not my type.' Tasha smiled leaning across the desk at Cate biting her lower lip slightly. Cate caught on pretty quickly as she leaned back in her chair.

'I see, well then, any ideas where he went off to?' Cate asked changing the subject slightly.

'Not a one, sorry, you could try asking Daisy though, she knows everything.' Tasha suggested still with a wide smile on her face as Cate got up from her seat and headed for the door.

'That I think I will do, thanks for all your help.' Cate smiled to Tasha as she opened the door to leave.

'Anytime, you need anything else just give me a call!' Tasha called out after Cate who was on her way out to the reception desk to find Daisy, smiling and shaking her head to herself. What a morning.

'Daisy.' Cate called the old woman's name as she walked up behind her. Daisy turned in her swivel seat, that looked like she needed a foot stool to get up into, held open her arms with a wide smile for Cate. Cate moved straight into Daisy's open arms for a big hug from the woman.

'Hi honey, how you been?' Daisy asked still squeezing Cate tight.

'I'm good Daisy. How's things here, all ok?' Cate asked as she stepped out of Daisy's embrace.

'Business is always good.' Daisy smiled as Marcus's dog Hermes popped up from under the counter desk, Cate knelt down to the golden retriever making a big fuss of the old hound.

'So where's that boss of yours then?' Cate asked looking up at Daisy.

'Not sure honey, he took off just after the break up with Julie, how's she doing by the way? It's been in the papers you know.' Daisy said a sad worried expression on her face.

'Julie's being Julie, strong and stubborn, we'll get her out of this, don't worry.' Cate smiled reassuringly. 'Did he take his hiking gear?'

'Maybe honey, you'd best check the garage, you know where the keys are right?' Cate nodded to Daisy as she noticed a woman approach the reception desk with her cat, pointing to her Daisy turned to deal with the lady and the patient. Grabbing the keys from the hook under the counter by the receptions private entrance door Cate headed to the back of the clinic where the inner door to the garage was. Going in Cate flicked on the lights, the garage was as tidy as everything else was in Marcus's place. A place for everything and everything its place, Cate thought to herself, walking over to the shelving where he kept his hiking gear Cate found that it was all missing.

'Looks like you've gone walk about Marcus.' Cate sighed as she turned and walked back out of the garage, switching the lights off and locking the door again as she went. Putting the keys back on the hook Cate waved her goodbyes to Daisy as she headed back out to her car, starting the engine and pulling out of the car park Cate took to the road heading out to where she knew Marcus would be hiking. Cate picked up the car phone thinking it would be best to let the others know where she was going. After a few rings the phone at the agency was picked up.

'Townsend Associates.' Bosley's gruff voice came over the phone.

'Hi Bos, it's Cate.'

'Hold on a minute Cate, I'll put you on speaker.' Bosley said as the line clicked from phone to speaker.

'What did you find out?' Kris's voice asked.

'Well I found out that Marcus isn't at the clinic.'

'Where is he?' Kelly asked.

'He's out hiking, I know where so I'm headed there next, up in the forest.' Cate explained. 'There's a trail up there he uses all the time.'

'Want one of us to meet you there?' Kelly asked concerned. Cate smirked to herself a little.

'No, thanks, I'll be fine.'

'What else did you find out?' Kris asked.

'Well I know that he left shortly after Julie broke up with him and that the vet that has taken over from him didn't see him when she arrived.'

'She?' Kris questioned, Cate knew where Kris's train of thought was going, the same place hers had.

'Yeah, well the other thing I discovered is that should I still be single in the next ten years or so I know I've got options.' Cate laughed to herself.

'What?' Kris and Kelly asked confused together.

'Never mind, I'll explain later.' Cate laughed.

'At the range?' Kris pushed.

'Yeah sure, speak to you later.' Cate said as she hung up her phone before she got caught in that conversation again.

Kelly and Kris looked to one another as the line went dead.

'Well at least she said she'd be there.' Kelly offered to Kris who looked annoyed.

'There's saying and then there's showing Kel. Cate may say she'll be there but that doesn't mean she'll be there.'

'Have a little faith Kris.' Kelly smiled at Kris as she returned her attention back to the file in her lap. Kris sighed as she got up and went to the bar for another cup of coffee.

Cate drove into a parking space surrounded by other cars with people holding maps and packing their backpacks ready to hit the trails. Cate got out of her car locking it moving round to the trunk of her car she opened it taking out her drinking flask she kept stored there with other gear. Heading for the entrance of the trails Cate stopped at the information and map point where a drinking fountain stood, filling her flask Cate then carried on to find her friend. Walking through the trail Cate enjoyed the serene surrounding of nature the peace it brought her, it was like being back with Scotty and her friends in Colorado. After an hour of hiking Cate came to the area she knew she would find Marcus in, a top peak looking over L.A. the best view you could ask for. It didn't take Cate long to find him Marcus had set up camp and was sat out on a flat rock looking out at the sights in front of him.

'How long you going to stay up here?' Cate asked once she was close enough.

'When did you get back?' Marcus asked without turning to look at her.

'Yesterday. I went to see Julie.' Cate said putting Julie's name right out into the open straight away, no time to pussy foot around and Cate wasn't one for doing that anyway. Marcus turned to Cate, he looked terrible, like he hadn't slept in days.

'How is she?' He simply asked.

'Considering where she is and what's going on, she's fine. Stubborn but fine.' Cate explained as she moved closer to Marcus sitting down a little way away from him on the ground. 'She told me that she uh, broke up with you Marcus.'

'Yeah, that she did.' Marcus said unhappily smiling out to the view.

'When Marcus, when did this all happen?'

'About a week ago.'

'A week ago!' Cate said surprised. 'At the time she was attacked?'

'The day after actually, I was meant to be taking her out for a meal but she wasn't feeling up to it so instead I brought the meal to her and we had dinner, I thought everything was fine then she ended it.' Marcus explained. Cate watched her friend, he was leaving something out and Cate knew it, she could read Marcus like a book.

'What happened before then Marc?' Cate pressed. Marcus looked to Cate, he laughed a little to himself, he didn't know why he even tried to hide things from Cate, she was far too good to not know he was holding something back.

'She didn't tell you did she?' Marcus asked shaking his head as he did.

'Tell me what?'

'Of course she didn't, I don't even know why I'm surprised.' Marcus laughed standing up and going into his tent, coming back out again within moments. He handed Cate a small box, Cate looked at it surprised, guessing what the small velvet black box would contain. Opening it she found what she thought she would a gorgeous engagement ring.

'I asked her to marry me.' Marcus said standing in front of her. For the first time since the pair of friends could remember Cate was speechless.

Cate left Marcus and went back to her car; it felt like it took her less time to get back to her car than it did to reach Marcus, the amount of thoughts that were running through Cate's mind made the time disappear. Cate got into her car and sat there for a few moments still shocked by what she had learned. Marcus had proposed, proposed marriage and Julie turned him down and broke up with him all in one fell swoop.

'And all on the night Michaels was murdered.' Cate said to herself as she picked up her car phone.

'Townsend Associates.' Kelly answered the phone in her best business toned voice.

'Kel it's me.' Cate replied.

'Hey, what's wrong you're sounding serious, did you find Marcus, is he ok?' Kelly asked reeling off questions left, right and centre.

'He's fine Kelly, he's packing up his camp gear as we speak. Are you all at the office?' Cate asked not wanting to tell her the news over the phone.

'Yeah, Bos just stepped out to get lunch should be back in about ten minutes or so.' Kelly explained.

'Alright I'll get back there as soon as I can, shouldn't take more than an hour.'

'Big news?' Kelly asked trying to gauge what they were to be told.

'Oh yeah, big news better get Charlie on the phone for a conference call when I get in.'

'Alright Cate, we'll see you soon. Drive safe.'

'Will do, bye.' Cate hung up the phone as she started the engine of her car and then pulled out of the car park back onto the road heading back to the office, this should be an interesting conversation.

'That was Cate?' Kris asked entering in into the office from the outside reception hall.

'Yeah, she's on her way here has some news for us.' Kelly explained as she fidgeted with a pencil in her hands.

'Big news?'

'It would seem so; she sounded a little on edge about it.' Kelly looked concerned.

'What is it Kelly?' Kris asked taking a seat in one of the armchairs in front of Bosley's desk Kelly was sat behind, some settings even in the new office hadn't changed.

'What if Marcus had nothing but bad news for Cate, something that could put Julie in more trouble than she is in now?'

'What if it's good news of sorts anyway?'

'Well if it is I want to hear it.' Both Angels looked quickly to the female voice that had waltzed into the room. 'Kris, Kelly nice to see you both again.' Annabelle smiled nodding to both Angels.

'Annabelle!' Kris bounded out of her seat throwing her arms around Annabelle's neck. 'It's so good to see you, how are you?' Kris asked as she backed away taking hold of her hands as she did, the two women stood facing each other as Kelly stayed seated in Bosley's chair.

'I'm great thanks Kris, I'm so pleased to see you're doing ok, I heard about the shooting you were injured in. Scary stuff.' Annabelle said, heartfelt looking at Kris who bowed her head down and looked away to Kelly who smiled at Kris a supporting smile.

'Yeah that it was.' Kelly said remembering all too well visiting Kris in the hospital after she was shot. 'Looks like the Agent life agrees with you Anna.' Kelly smiled looking Annabelle up and down in her grey fitted pant suit.

'It's not a bad gig.' Annabelle smiled as she took a seat on one of the sofas with Kris. 'So where's Cate?'

'She was following a lead and is on her way here now.' Kris explained.

'But she might not be here for an hour yet.' Kelly said hoping that Annabelle might take the subtle hint and leave.

'Well that's ok, I can wait, if you don't mind?' Annabelle asked although there was no way she was leaving until she had heard what Cate had to say.

'Mind, of course we don't mind.' Kris said as she turned to Kelly her eyes widening with a look saying to Kelly what do we do now? Kelly continued to play nice with Annabelle.

'So what's the latest on Julie's case, anything new that might get her out of jail?' Kelly asked hopefully.

'Cate told you I was working the case huh? Well I'm afraid not guy's everything right now still points to Julie and she's not helping herself by staying quiet.'

'That we know.' Kris said sighing patting the palm of her hand onto her thigh as she said it.

'Ladies, lunch is served.' Bosley sounded as he entered into the office again.

'Great thanks Bos and we have company.' Kelly said as she helped hand out sandwiches and bags of potato chips. Bosley looked over to see Annabelle smiling broadly at him and giving him a small wave.

'Hi Bosley.' She said as Bosley walked over to her bending down slightly to hug her.

'Well hello, it's great to see you again Anna and I hear you're working Julie's case?'

'Good news travels fast.' Annabelle said with a small smile.

'Well I don't know about good news, but it was a surprise to hear, we didn't realize you were back in L.A.' Bosley said as he sat opposite Annabelle on the second sofa.

'Bos, we need to call Charlie, Cate's on her way in she has some news to share with us all.' Kelly explained looking sideways to Annabelle who was showing more interest in the drink Kris had handed her.

'I see.' Bosley said catching on.

'And I want in on that.' Annabelle said without looking at them. 'I meant what I said to Cate; whatever you all find out I want to know about it too.' She said looking up this time to the rest of the room.

'Well I had best call Charlie; make him aware of what's going on.' Bosely said as he walked to his desk, Kelly got up giving him back his chair and moved to sit onto the couch opposite Kris and Annabelle.

'So how has life been as a federal agent?' Kelly asked acting as though she was interested, she didn't like the forceful way in which Annabelle was getting information from them.

'Not bad at all, it's certainly a lot different from the police force!' Annabelle said laughing, which Kris joined in on.

'I bet it is, a bit like how different it is being an Angel is comparison to a police officer.' Kris said handing Kelly the sandwich roll Bosley had got for her.

'So you've been able to work some interesting cases?' Kelly asked keeping the conversation up whilst Bosley spoke with Charlie. The three women continued talking as they waited for Cate to arrive.

Kelly looked to her watch starting to wonder where her sister had gotten to when Cate walked into the main room spinning her car keys on her right index finger, she was obviously lost in thought as he came in, Cate didn't even notice Annabelle as she passed her taking a seat in one of the arm chairs in front of Bosley's desk.

'Hey little sister look who stopped by for a visit.' Kelly said bringing Cate out of her own thoughts and into the room. Looking up Cate saw Annabelle and quickly smiled before she allowed herself to scowl.

'Annabelle, social call is it?' Cate asked as Kris got up heading to the bar to get Cate and herself a drink.

'It was and then I heard you have some new information involving Julie's case so I just had to stay to hear what it was.'

'Of course you did.' Cate smiled sitting forward slightly as Kris handed her a glass of coca cola.

'So what's the news?' Kris asked taking her seat again by the side of Annabelle.

'Wait let me get Charlie on the line.' Bosley said quickly grabbing the phone and punching in Charlie's number.

'How was Marcus?' Kelly asked in a quiet caring tone. Cate ran her hand around the back of her neck rubbing it trying to move some of the tension growing there.

'He's been better.' Cate simply said shrugging.

'Alright Charlie, Cate's here now.' Bosley said as he hit the button for the speaker button.

'Hello Angels, Annabelle, nice to have you with us.' Charlie's clear voice came through the small plastic box.

'Hi Charlie, nice to hear your voice again.' Annabelle replied a wide smile spreading across her face.

'So Cate, what have you got to tell us?' Charlie said turning the spotlight back to Cate.

'I've got Julie's alibi.'

'You've what!?' Both Kris and Kelly said together looking to one another and then Cate in disbelief.

'I found out from Marcus where Julie was the night Michaels was murdered and it wasn't by Julie's fair hand.' Cate smiled looking aimlessly down to the carpet recalling in her mind's eye the conversation she had had with Marcus.

'So Julie was with Marcus, well, why didn't she just tell us that?' Kris asked confused by why her friend would hide such information.

'I'm not absolutely sure Kris, but I have a good idea.' Cate began to explain. 'That night Marcus had an entire romantic evening set out for them, it was just after she was attacked. Towards the end of the evening Marcus had worked up the courage to do what had been thinking of for a while.'

'Which was?' Bosley asked.

'He asked Julie to marry him.' Cate answered. Her fellow Angels and Bosley fell back into their seats blown away by what they had heard. Cate laughed a little at them recognizing the thoughts they must be having and wondering if that was how she had looked after Marcus had told her. 'Unfortunately Marcus didn't get the answer he wanted as Julie ended the relationship.'

'And you say this all happened at the time Michaels was shot?' Charlie asked.

'As far as I'm aware Charlie, Marcus is known for his time keeping. We know from reports that Michaels was shot between ten and eleven pm. Marcus said he didn't leave Julie until after midnight, there's no way she could have done it.'

'Where is Marcus now Cate?' Charlie asked. Looking at her watch Cate answered.

'He should be at Julie's lawyers office by now Charlie or at least very close to it. I told him to go directly there first before the police.'

'Good thinking.' Kelly said. 'We wouldn't want Marcus or his statement going missing for any length of time.'

'I doubt that would have happened.' Annabelle spoke up finally. 'Well if you'll all excuse me I had better go and report this myself.' Annabelle stood up from the sofa and exited calling out her goodbyes as she left. Once gone the Angels, Bosley and Charlie were able to relax and talk some more.

'Was there anything else Cate?' Charlie asked.

'No Charlie, that was all and quite frankly it was enough. I think you'd better get on the phone to Julie's lawyer and get her out of that jail.' Cate suggested with urgency.

'You're right Cate and that is exactly what I am going to do now, I'll call you all later with an update.' Charlie said signing off.

Kris stood up and began to pace up and down the length of the sofa she was seated on.

'I don't understand why she didn't tell us this, is she really so ashamed or embarrassed not to tell us something that can save her life?' Kris asked the room.

'Who knows Kris, this past month or two have been hard on her, losing a friend, being attacked and then to be accused of murder.' Kelly said running through Julie's recent troubles.

'But not tell us something that is so important as this is, I just don't get it.' Kris stopped and scratched the top of her head as she thought.

'Well neither do I but I certainly intend to ask her when we get her out of that jail.' Cate said standing and walking around and behind the sofa her sister was seated on.

'We shall all find out in time.' Kelly said making peace in the room. 'So what was this you were saying when you called from the vets office about having options?' Kelly asked smirking slightly as she turned to look at her sister. Cate laughed as she walked around to the end of the sofa closest to the window.

'Well…' Before Cate could finish what she about to say gunfire sounded as the window shattered. Cate turned and stood still as bullets continued to be fired into the room, Kelly and Bosley dived for the floor keeping as low as possible.

'Caitlin!' Kelly called out as her sister didn't move. 'Caitlin get down!' Cate began to turn to her sister when Kris dived into her a flying tackle sending them both crashing to the floor, sound rushed back through Cate's ears as she hit the floor, Kris by the side of her. She heard the screeching of car tyres and someone yelling 'Cop killer!!' as they sped away.

'Is everyone alright?' Bosley called out as hr got up from behind his desk.

'Yeah fine.' Kelly answered first as she got up to her feet carefully stepping over shards of glass on the floor moving over to where Kris and Cate lay on the floor. 'Kris, Cate?' She asked as she helped Kris get up.

'I'm fine.' Kris said holding her hand out to Cate who took it pulling herself up. 'Cate?'

'Fine, thanks.' Cate replied nodding to Kris who may have just saved her life, again.

'You sure?' Kelly asked concerned. 'You looked a little…'

'Ow!' Kris yelped in pain, both Cate and Kelly turned their attention to her.

'What is it?' Cate asked Kris who was cradling her left forearm.

'Looks like I fell on some glass.' Kris grimaced as blood began to seep through her light blue blouse sleeve.

'Let's take a look at it Kris.' Kelly said sitting Kris down on the couch.

'I'll grab the first aid kit.' Bosley said.

'Cate can you grab me one of the small bar towels.' Kelly asked as she unbuttoned Kris cuff and gently rolled back the sleeve to reveal the wound. Cate did as she was asked and grabbed a clean towel from behind the bar and handed it to Kelly who laid it across Kris's lap.

'What's the damage?' Cate asked as she watched her sister tenderly care for their friend.

'It's not very deep, doesn't need any stitches so that saves us a trip to the emergency room.' Kelly smiled up to Kris who had been quiet throughout Kelly checking her arm.

'Is everyone alright?!' Annabelle called out as she rushed back in to the room.

'We thought you'd left.' Kris said as Bosley came back into the room handing Kelly the first aid kit.

'I was parked round back making some notes of what Cate had said when I heard the gunfire. Are you alright?' Annabelle explained and asked as she came round and knelt beside Kelly who was now beginning to clean Kris's arm.

'She'll be just fine. Come on Kris, let's go clean this up properly.' Kelly said wrapping Kris's arm with the bar towel helping Kris up and leading her out of the main room to the bathroom.

'I've called it in so the police should be here soon.' Annabelle said to Cate and Bosley, Cate nodded not really listening as she watched Kris and Kelly leave the room.

'Did you see anything?' Bosely asked as the pair of them walked out of the office to go outside to see the damage and look for any clues. Cate looked around her at the amount of damage that had been done. Shards of glass lay all over the floor, Cate bent down to see it all.

'Don't go picking any of that up.' Kelly warned as she came back in to the room.

'I wasn't going to, the police are on their way.' Cate said still squatting down on the floor she turned to look at Kelly. 'Annabelle called them from her car. How's Kris?'

'I'm fine.' Kris said in a tone that was a little more chipper than Cate expected.

'Are you sure, don't you think you ought to go down to the ER just in case.' Cate said as she stood up again slipping her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. Kris walked over to Cate placing her hand on Cate's arm.

'Honestly Cate, I'm fine, it really isn't very deep at all, it's practically stopped bleeding now any way, right Kel?' Kris assured as she whipped her head round to Kelly.

'Right, it's fine Cate, trust me.' Kelly smiled; Cate simply nodded and turned her attention back to the room moving away from Kris. Kris and Kelly looked to one another a shared concerned look between them.

'So now we're being shot at.' Cate said as she walked up to the shattered window looking out she saw Annabelle and Bosley walking around looking for clues.

'Wouldn't be the first time.' Kris said.

'Or the last.' Kelly added. 'We're not exactly people's favourite private detectives right now. With the press, a lot of people know that Julie works here, it's been a little difficult.' Kelly explained.

'You mean this has happened before?' Cate asked spinning round quickly, looking at both Kris and Kelly with an angry look on her face.

'No not this exactly but we've all been receiving threats and been yelled at when we're walking down the street. But that should all stop now.' Kelly explained as she leaned again Bosley's desk.

'Right, with Marcus's statement of where Julie was she should be released soon and her name cleared.'

'Well, she'll be released anyway.' Kelly said folding her arms across her chest as she thought.

'What do you mean Kel?' Kris asked sitting on the arm of the sofa.

'Just because we have Marcus's word and Julie's when she admits it doesn't mean the police and their lawyers won't still try to find some way to pin it on Julie.' Kelly explained, the room fell silent as the Angels all thought on this, their silence only disturbed when sirens sounded and ended at the front of the office building and the police came in with Bosley and Annabelle.

After an hour the police left, as did Annabelle, leaving the Angels and Bosley with the job of cleaning up the mess left behind.

'Well they were less than useless.' Cate said as she put on a pair of gloves to start picking up the larger pieces of broken glass.

'No witnesses Cate and we didn't see anything, it's not much for anyone to go on.' Kelly pointed out. Cate sighed as she looked to her sister.

'Yeah, I guess so.'

'Alright Charlie, we'll keep you informed.' Bosley said as he hung up the phone on his desk.

'What did Charlie have to say?' Kris asked from her seat in the armchair at the front of Bosley's desk. Both Kelly and Cate had told her to leave the clean up to them.

'He has given me the strict orders of sending you all home. He'll call in a cleaning crew to come and fix all of this.' Bosley said as he gestured to the room. 'So go on, get out of here. I'll wait for the cleaning crew.'

'Did he say anything about Julie being released?' Kris asked.

'He said he would call you once it had all been arranged.' Bosley replied. 'Now, get going.' Bosley said ordering the Angels out of the room. The three Angels picked up their jackets and bags and headed for the door calling out their goodbyes to Bosley as they went home.

'Well, why don't we take Kris home first and then go from there.' Kelly suggested as they got outside to their cars.

'I'm really ok you guys; you don't need to babysit me. I'm pretty sure I can drive myself home.'

'I'm sure you can but why don't you let me do it and shut up about it.' Kelly ordered pushing Kris to the passenger side of her Cobra taking the keys from Kris as she walked past her. 'Meet you there?' Kelly asked her sister as Cate stood watching them.

'Yeah sure.' Cate said with a small smile. All getting into their cars Kelly pulled out first followed by Cate.

'She froze.' Kelly said calmly to Kris as she checked her rear view mirror seeing her sister wasn't too far behind them.

'I noticed.' Kris replied looking out to the road.

'I'm worried.' Kelly quietly said.

'I know, me too.' Kris said turning to look at Kelly who kept her eyes to the road. After a short drive the Angels all arrived at Kris's beach house, now fully repaired after the fire that caused some serious damage and had nearly taken both Kris and Jill's life with it.

'Well come on in then, I know you're not going anywhere anytime soon.' Kris laughed as she walked up the steps to the side entrance door.

'We just want to make sure you're ok that's all.' Kelly said smiling as she followed after her.

'And maybe have a little dinner too?' Kris asked looking over her shoulder to Kelly and Cate who followed quietly after them.

'Well if that's an offer of a free meal I would say we're on board for that right Cate?' Kelly asked turning to her sister as they entered into the beach house. Cate looked around the remodeled room, not much had really changed, it just looked a little fresher.

'Place looks great Kris.' Cate commented as she headed to the back doors that led out on to the decking.

'Yeah Jill and I were both happy with the outcome.' Kris smiled looking around the room as well. 'Open up the doors Cate, let some light and air in.' Cate did as Kris asked and stepped out on to the decking as she did so, leaning on the railing as she did looking out to the ocean watching people surf and have fun on the beach. Kris and Kelly tossed their jackets and bags down on to the armchair in the corner of Kris's living room, Kelly looked out to her sister Kris followed her look and nudged Kelly to go on outside as she went to the kitchen and began to busy herself.

'What's on your mind?' Kelly asked as she stood next to Cate leaning onto the railing as well. Cate looked to her sister.

'All sorts.' Cate said as she stood straight and walked behind her older sister and headed down the steps to the beach, Kelly slowly followed after her.

'What kind of all sorts?' Kelly asked then thinking to herself that, that sounded odd.

'I froze and Kris got hurt.' Cate opened with.

'She's alright Cate, it really is just a scratch.' Kelly said as she caught up alongside of her sister. Cate looked to Kelly a look telling her not to make light of the situation.

'She could have been hurt a lot worse than that, killed even.'

'So could you have been.' Kelly countered.

'I know.' Cate said quietly as she stopped and looked out to the ocean. 'It's too dangerous Kelly.'

'What is?'

'Me doing this, being a part of this team.'

'Cate…'

'No listen to me.' Cate interrupted Kelly; she had to speak before Kelly could stop her or make her change her mind. 'Today just proves to me what I was worried about. I can't do this anymore Kel, the simple sound of gunfire and I'm frozen to the spot.'

'It was just a bad day Cate, whoever it was surprised us.'

'And they always will take us by surprise Kelly, it's rare that we are notified before being shot at. It's not safe for me to be around you all when things like that happen.'

'But Cate, you'll work through this, we'll help you, I'll help you. We could go and speak to someone about it.' Kelly started reeling off ideas of how to keep Cate on the team with her. Cate took a gentle hold of Kelly's upper arms to make her stop talking.

'I've made up my mind Kelly, once we get Julie out of this I'm leaving the agency.' Kelly hung her head and looked away from Cate to the ocean doing her very best not to get any further upset or cry.

'Bette will be happy.' Kelly said without emotion.

'Yeah, she may even start to talk to me again.' Cate said watching her sister, Kelly turned to Cate standing at her full height which was about half an inch, not even that taller than Cate.

'I don't want you to do this.' Kelly defiantly said. Cate smiled to Kelly, tilting her head to one side.

'I know you don't but it's not your decision to make it's mine and I've made it. You know I don't want to be anywhere near my own gun or any other for that matter and that 's no use to any of you. It's better for me to do this. Kelly, I can't go with you, Kris or Julie into whatever case and not trust that I can watch your back properly without the fear that I'll freeze up again. You're all far too important to me, especially you.' Cate said as she wiped away the single tear that escaped, rolling down Kelly's cheek.

'Hey you two!' Kris called out from the decking of her house. 'There's nothing in my cupboards, we'll have to order in!' Cate laughed as she waved back to Kris who promptly turned and went back into her living room.

'Those Munroe's and their food.' Cate laughed to herself.

'What about Kris, are you going to tell her?' Kelly asked looking up to where Kris had been standing.

'No, not until this is all over. It's bad enough us two knowing, if Kris and Julie know we'll never be able to concentrate on finding Michael's murderer.'

'Is that really fair to them, especially Kris?'

'I won't be talked or guilted out of this Kelly, my mind is made up. You know I'm as stubborn as you are.'

'So what will you do instead, go to the motel, the ranch back to Mustang with the family?' Kelly asked her tone starting to turn to anger.

'I haven't thought that far yet Kel.'

'Have you really thought about it at all?' Kelly asked as she turned and stormed off back to the beach house. Cate sighed heavily and started after her, she had to tell her sister at least, she couldn't keep everything bottled up inside, not this time. As the sisters reached the beach house they heard Kris answer the telephone.

'Alright Charlie, we're on our way.' Kelly looked to Cate confused, Cate in return shrugged her shoulders.

'What's going on?' Kelly asked.

'Come on, we need to get to the prison now.' Kris said in a hurried manner. Kelly and Cate rushed up the stairs to meet Kris.

'Why what's going on?' Cate asked again.

'Julie's being released now, we can go and collect her.' Kris answered a smile beaming across her face. Cate and Kelly walked through the house with Kris locking up as they went rushing out to their cars.

'Jump in, I'll drive.' Cate said.

'When did you last speak with Jill?' Kris asked a little nervous almost of getting in the car with Cate.

'About a month ago, why?' Kris breathed a sigh of relief.

'Nothing, never mind, let's getting going.' Kris beamed as she got into the car, Kelly in the back Kris up front next to Cate.

'But when we did speak she did explain about this new technique she had been trying out with her driving.' Cate smiled wickedly to Kris as she slammed the car into gear, Kris yelled out as Cate spun the car round heading towards the prison to collect their friend. After a thrill ride of a drive the three Angels arrived at the prison they had visited the day before, Bosley was waiting for them in the car park.

'Hey Bos, where's the lawyer?' Kris asked as she got out of the car.

'Iain's inside sorting out all of the paperwork, I said I'd wait out here for you three.' Bosley said smiling. 'Everything alright Kelly?' Bosley looked to Kelly who looked a little green around the gills.

'I'm going to be having words with that older sister of yours.' Kelly sternly said to Kris as she took some deep breaths.

'Right after I have.' Kris said as she put her arm around Kelly's shoulders sympathetically.

'It wasn't that bad a drive.' Cate smiled wickedly at her sister and best friend who both swatted at her missing.

'Come on, let's get Julie out of here.' Bosley laughed to himself watching the Angels and there banter. Just as Bosley turned to walk in to the building, holding the door for the Angels, Iain came rushing out looking flustered.

'Iain, what's wrong?' Bosley asked taking a hold of the man's arm.

'They can't find her.' Iain said in a form of shock.

'Can't find who, Julie?' Kelly asked suddenly feeling much better from the urgency of the man's tone.

'Right, they don't have her in the low security section we had her put into for her safety.'

'Where is she then?' Kris asked stepping up to the man trying to get him to give a straight answer.

'They moved her to the central prison cells.' Iain said loosening his collar.

'You mean with all the dangerous criminals, many of whom we have put there!' Kris said barging past him, Cate not far behind her.

'Bosley, we need to get to her now.' Kelly ordered.

'Right, Iain, come on you're getting us through the door.' Bosley grabbed the lawyer pushing him back through to the wardens office.

'Look, I'm telling you like I told your lawyer friend, she's not here in this wing, she's been moved to the main cells, we had our orders.' The officer explained.

'Look we don't care about your orders, we have a notice here from a judge a court order to release Julie Rogers, now get us through there before we get that judge on the phone and have you all out of a job.' Kris threatened pointing to all of the officers sat around in the office.

'Alright ladies, alright please come this way, I will take you to where Miss Rogers is.' An older woman said as she opened the locked barred door. Just as Kris and Cate crossed over the threshold of the door an alarm sounded and officers began rushing down the corridor behind the older officer.

'What does that alarm mean?' Cate asked dreading the answer.

'There's a fight going on.' The warden answered. Kris and Cate looked to one another and then bolted after the officers they had watched run by earlier.

'Kelly, call Charlie tell him what's going on!' Kris yelled back as she and Cate disappeared around a corner.

'Hey you two can't just go running off back there.' The warden called after Kris and Cate.

'I'd like to see you try and stop them.' Bosley said as Kelly picked up a phone dialing Charlie's number.

The closer Kris and Cate got to the central area of the prison the louder the shouts were getting. Female prisoners pushing on other prisoners to take a swing at the Angel, Kris took a quick glance to Cate as they neared the stairs leading down to the fight.

'Keep going Kris.' Cate said a stern look on her face which unnerved Kris, Cate looked ready to do some damage. They saw the crowds of women circled round another huddle of women swinging arms and kicking legs. The wardens stood by the side doing nothing.

'What the hell do you think you're doing? Get in there and stop this!' Kris yelled at the officers who stood watching not moving.

'To hell with this.' Cate frustrated barged through the circle of women who were too surprised by Cate's presence to stop her. Kris did her best to keep up with Cate as she got to the huddled scrum of women. Cate grabbed the first woman she came to, a shorter brunette woman, grabbing her by her collar Cate yanked her back. Not expecting it the woman fell back onto her backside looking around to the other women still yelling at the fight to continue. Kris moved in taking hold of another woman and spinning her out of the huddle. Cate kept pulling women off of Julie who Cate could just make sight of.

'Get the hell off of her!' Cate yelled at the women as she kept dragging them off and away. One woman not too shy to hit back came round at Cate hitting her on the side of the face, slightly phased Cate shook it off and returned the favour hitting the woman in the face followed by an elbow sharply brought down to the top of her back. Another woman grabbed Cate around the waist pulling her away and up slightly off the ground. Cate flung her head back head butting the woman and then stomped down hard onto her foot, the woman cried off to a corner nursing her foot and nose. More women tried their luck with Kris and Cate finding a harsh response, Cate introduced one woman's face to a wall whilst Kris thrust her knee into another woman's chest and threw her down to the floor, finally a whistle was blown and the women quickly dispersed. The two Angels backed towards Julie who lay on the floor huddled; she'd brought her knees up to her chest and her arms covering her face to protect herself. Once the prison guards had moved the women off Cate and Kris heard and saw Kelly and Bosley rushing down the stairs to help them. Cate turned to Julie to see if she was ok.

'Julie?' Cate reached out placing her hand onto Julie's shoulder. Julie sprung up ready to attack. 'Julie, whoa, hey it's me it's Cate.' Cate sat back as Julie flew out her fists about to hit Cate when she finally saw her and heard what she was saying. Julie's fists flattened out as she threw her arms around Cate's neck, in return Cate held onto a shaking Julie tightly as she helped her up to her feet. Kris came over and joined them as Julie broke herself away from Cate.

'Are you alright honey?' Kris asked brushing Julie's hair away from her face, she had the beginnings of a black eye and a split lip to go with it. Julie nodded as she dried her eyes and pulled herself together.

'Yeah, thanks to you guys, what are you doing here?' Julie asked holding on to Cate as she did.

'We're here to take you home.' Kris explained.

'What, how?'

'Marcus.' Cate said, Julie turned to her looking surprised. 'Julie, he told me what happened, I wish you had just told us, you would never have been here then.'

'I know I just…' Julie tried to begin to explain but was cut off by Kelly and Bosley.

'Why don't we talk about this back home?' Kelly suggested taking a hold of Julie and pulling her into a hug.

'Good idea, the sooner we get out of here the better.' Kris agreed to which Julie laughed nervously and nodded.

'I second that.' She said as Kelly took her hand and led her out of the main hall the fight had broken out in. Cate looked around at the women as they all were stood against the surrounding walls, she recognized a few that they had put there, the rest well, they probably were just looking for a fight.

'Cate you coming?' Kris asked as she turned on the stairs looking down to her, Cate looked up to Kris nodding and followed after her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5.**

Later that evening the Angels sat around in Kelly's front room talking and relaxing after a long day full of excitement.

'I still cannot get over the fact those guards just stood there and let the fight go on.' Kris said as she leaned her head back on Kelly's sofa and stretched her legs out in front of her.

'I can.' Cate solemnly said looking at the drink she held in her hands.

'I still can't get over the fact you two busted in there and just started throwing those women off of me, literally throwing them, Kelly you should have seen it.' Julie exclaimed with a wide grin.

'I was just following Cate's lead, she started the throwing.' Kris said holding her hands up as she closed her eyes listening to the room.

'Why am I not surprised?' Kelly asked with a small laugh, shaking her head.

'Well the guards weren't doing anything about it.' Cate defended her actions smiling wickedly. The Angels all began to chuckle when the phone rang; Kelly got up from her seat and answered the phone.

'Cate it's for you, Mrs. Henderson?' Kelly held out the phone for her sister a look of confusion on her face.

'My next door neighbour.' Cate explained as she took the phone. 'Hi Mrs. Henderson, what's going on.'

'Oh Cate, good, you said I should try this number if you weren't at home or at your office.'

'That's fine Mrs. Henderson, is everything ok?'

'It is honey but there is a delivery for you, the delivery men need to get it into your house.'

'Don't you have my key?'

'Yes honey, but I think you need to be here yourself for this delivery.' Mrs. Henderson explained.

'Alright I'm not too far away I'll be there in less than ten minutes.'

'Ok sweetheart, see you then, I'll make sure these men wait for you. Bye.' Cate hung up the phone and turned back to the others in the room.

'Everything alright?' Kelly asked.

'I think so there's a delivery for me at the house, something Mrs. Henderson thinks I should be there for.'

'Did she say what it was?' Kris asked looking up to Cate from the couch.

'Nope so I'd better go and find out.' Cate said as she stepped over Kris's outstretched legs and picked up her leather jacket from the floor where she had dropped it earlier.

'Want one of us to go with you?' Julie asked sitting up from her position next to Kris.

'No you all stay here, I'm sure it's nothing dangerous.' Cate smiled as she pulled on her boots. 'I'll speak to you all later, tomorrow morning at the office.' Cate smiled as she opened the front door waving back to them.

'I'll walk you out.' Kelly said springing up from her seat. Kelly walked Cate down her drive to Cate's car that was parked behind hers. 'So you can run into a fist fight without a problem but you're still leaving the agency?' Kelly asked as Cate opened her driver's side door.

'Kelly.' Cate said in a tone warning Kelly off.

'I won't let you do this Caitlin.' Kelly sternly said.

'Well it's not your decision to make is it? It's mine and I have made it now please just back off!' Cate snapped at her sister.

'No I won't back off Cate, you're not going to do this, you're just not!' Kelly argued back as she stormed off back to the house. Cate swore under her breath as she got into her car slamming the car door shut she started the engine and peeled out of the drive heading back to her own home and whatever was waiting for her there.

Kelly entered back into home shutting the door a little harder than she meant to making Kris and Julie jump.

'Kelly, what's going on now?' Kris asked sitting forward seeing Kelly's angry expression.

'Nothing just, nothing.' Kelly was ready to tell them both what was wrong but despite everything she respected Cate's wishes in not telling them, she knew that Cate was right in not telling them just now.

'You two can have an argument quicker than Jill and I can.' Kris decided as she fell back into the couch Julie sniggered beside her. Kelly smiled weakly and took her seat again joining her friends.

'Don't worry Kel, you'll sort it out whatever's going on between the two of you now.' Julie smiled reaching her hand out to Kelly rubbing her forearm.

'Yeah, I'm sure we will. So who's up for dessert?' Kelly asked changing the subject as both hands went up in the air.

Cate pulled into her drive finding the delivery men still parked outside her home.

'Hi guys what have you got for me then?' Cate asked as she approached the men.

'You're Caitlin Fox?' The older man with a long grey/white beard asked looking down at his delivery sheet.

'That I am, what's all this then?' Cate asked pointing to the large crate in the back of their truck. The older man handed her the delivery slip and letter that came with it. Opening it Cate read through the note with disbelief.

'Can we take it through ma'am?' The younger blonde haired man asked.

'Yeah sure follow me.' Cate said as she walked up to her front door unlocking and opening it for them. Using the lift on the back of their truck the men lowered the large crate and the proceeded to pushing it up to Cate's home.

'Where would you like it?' The older man asked.

'That's a good question, where am I going to fit a piano?' Cate asked them looking around the room.

'Well thankfully for you it's an upright piano not a grand of any kind so it can go against a wall.' The older man explained.

'Well in that case it had best go there.' Cate said pointing to the blank wall at the far end of her front room.

'Good spot.' The man said as he and his younger co-worker brought in the crated up piano. The men took another twenty minutes to unpack the piano and set it up for Cate, she was then surprised to see the old man sit at the piano and start checking it over and tuning it. 'Sometimes they need tuning after they've been transported.' He explained as he looked over to Cate. Once the men had left the phone rang Cate picked up the receiver.

'Hello?'

'Hi Cate.'

'Hi Mrs. Henderson, thanks for the call earlier.'

'No problem honey it looked important.'

'It was, my aunt and uncle sent me a piano.'

'A piano! My that's generous.'

'Certainly is.' Cate agreed looking at the letter again in her hand.

'Well I'll leave you to it dear, just wanted to make sure everything was ok.'

'Everything's fine thank you Mrs. Henderson.' Cate said gratefully as the neighbours said their goodbyes and hung up. Cate walked over to her new piano, a beautiful old mahogany piano, Cate ran her hands across the lid of it before she lifted it to reveal the keys, smiling Cate looked at the letter again.

'Thought you might be needing this.' The note simply said. 'All our love Aunt Joan and Uncle James.' Cate quietly laughed to herself shaking her head in disbelief at her gift. She sat at the piano for a while silently thinking what to first play, the events of the last day or two passed through Cate's mind and brought about a song she thought appropriate.

_I__'__ve been so many places in my life and time_

_I__'__ve sung a lot of songs I__'__ve made some bad rhyme_

_I__'__ve acted out my love in stages_

_With ten thousand people watching_

_But we__'__re alone now and I__'__m singing this song for you_

_I know your image of me is what I hope to be_

_I__'__ve treated you unkindly but darlin__'__ can__'__t you see_

_There__'__s no one more important to me_

_Darlin__'__ can__'__t you please see through me_

_Cause we__'__re alone now and I__'__m singing this song for you_

_You tought me precious secrets of the truth withholding nothing_

_You came out in front and I was hiding_

_But now I__'__m so much better and if my words don__'__t come together_

_Listen to the melody cause my love is in there hiding_

_I love you in a place where there__'__s no space or time_

_I love you for in my life you are a friend of mine_

_And when my life is over remember when we were together_

_We were alone and I was singing this song for you_

Cate played out the music after finishing the lyrics and moved on to others pieces of music. Stood on the other side of Cate's front door Kelly leaned back against the door having heard her sisters music, taking a deep breath Kelly changed her mind about going in and starting another argument tonight, instead Kelly walked swiftly back to her car and drove home.

The following morning Cate walked into the office with a slight bounce in her step and humming a tune.

'Someone's in a good mood.' Kris teased as she watched Cate go to the bar to get a glass of fruit juice.

'Was it the mystery package last night?' Julie asked turning to face Cate leaning across the back of the sofa she was sat on.

'What was he like?' Kris asked with a devilish grin.

'Tall and wooden.' Cate smiled as she watched Julie fall about laughing, as Kris turned red.

'Cate!'

'What you asked and it was a piano, get your mind out of the gutter!' Cate teased nudging Kris as she walked passed her to the armchair next to Kris.

'So who sent you the piano?' Julie asked still laughing.

'Your aunt and uncle, right?' Kris asked looking to Cate.

'Right, they thought I might need it.' Cate smiled broadly.

'Morning.' Kelly said smiling slightly as she entered into the office.

'Morning Kel, you ok, you look a little tired?' Kris asked as Kelly sat on the sofa opposite Julie.

'I'm fine just didn't sleep too well last night is all.' Kelly explained looking across to her sister.

'Did I hear right, Joan and James have sent you a piano?' Kelly asked getting the subject off of her.

'Yeah that's what was waiting for me when I got home yesterday, it's beautiful and sounds wonderful.' Cate enthused.

'Good morning ladies.' Bosley happily called out as he walked into the office from the back rooms.

'Morning Bos.' The Angels all chorused as the phone began to ring. Looking at their watches they saw it was nine o'clock exactly. Bosley hit the speaker button.

'Good morning Angels, Bosley.' Charlie sounded happy this morning also as the Angels and Bosley all chorused their good mornings back. 'Julie I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have you back with us again.'

'You're telling me Charlie.'

'How are you Angel?' Charlie asked his tone changing to that of a caring father.

'I'm great now Charlie, being out of that hell hole.'

'Which you wouldn't have been in if you had just been honest with us Julie.' Kris scolded as the mood turned serious.

'I know and I really am sorry you guys, honest I am.'

'Then why do it Julie, you couldn't really have been that afraid to tell us about Marcus and your breaking up and the proposal?' Kelly asked who like the others was unclear as to what Julie was playing at risking her life when there was no need.

'I guess I was hoping the justice system would help me out.'

'Well you guessed wrong.' Cate flatly said. 'What else was going on Julie, there has to be more to it.' Julie sat back into the large sofa sinking into it.

'Julie?' Kelly prompted seeing from her friend's body language change so much in a split second.

'I was hoping I might find out something whilst I was there.' Julie admitted quietly to the room.

'Julie, why didn't you just ask us to help you?' Kris asked sympathetically.

'Because we were all meant to be off the case remember?' Julie defended herself reminding Kris of the fact that Charlie had indeed ordered them off the case.

'But you know we would have helped you, despite what Charlie had said. Sorry Charlie.' Kris answered turning to the speaker box.

'I understand Angel and would expect nothing less of you all.' Charlie said with a slight laughter in his tone. 'But you played a dangerous game Julie, we could have lost you.'

'And we would have if we hadn't of arrived at the prison when we did.' Kelly unhappily nodded to what Charlie was saying as she thought on the previous day's excitement.

'Charlie do we have any clue yet as to whom had Julie transferred to that wing of the prison?' Cate asked, they were all still baffled.

'Not yet Cate but I'm working on it and I'll have the papers to you as soon as I find out.'

'It's so frustrating not knowing!' Kris exclaimed. 'Who would have you moved there and why?'

'I don't know Kris, wish I did, I'd have a few words to say to them that's for sure.' Julie said as she lightly touched the bruise around her left eye.

'You think someone might have been trying to get you out of the way?' Cate asked leaning back into the couch opposite Julie who turned to look at her.

'Why would someone want Julie out of the way, they already had her in jail for a murder she didn't commit?' Kris asked confused by Cate's question as Julie was.

'Maybe because you were getting too close to something, or we were.' Kelly suggested. Cate nodded in agreement.

'So what have we all got that someone doesn't want us to know?' Cate asked everyone in the room was quiet, even Charlie. 'Seriously, what do we have?'

'I don't know Cate, did we really have anything?' Kris asked.

'Did the police find out anything on the drive by shooting on the office?' Kelly asked turning to look at Bosley who was sat in his chair behind his desk. Shrugging Bosley looked through the paperwork on his desk.

'They haven't found anything out yet, for all we know it was off duty police officers.' Bosley theorized.

'Let's not jump to that conclusion just yet Bosley.' Charlie warned. 'I'll leave you all to it Angels, I'll have the reports over to you as soon as I have something from the prison and the police about the shooting.' Charlie promised as he hung up.

'Well why don't we go through everything and start from the beginning because I wasn't here for that and Julie, I mean everything.' Cate warned Julie knowing she would withhold something if she thought she could get away with it. Julie sighed deeply rolling her eyes as she looked over to her. 'Don't give me the look Julie; we do it better than you anyway.' Cate smiled pointing her thumb between herself and Kelly.

'Exactly, we're masters at it.' Kelly smiled winking at Julie showing her they were only teasing, sort of. There was a knock at the door as two men in blue overalls entered into the room.

'Mr. Bosley?' One of the young men asked holding a clipboard. Bosley looked up to them nodding and smiling. 'We're here to finish off the work with the widows.' The young man said as he indicated to the large windows to the side of the Angels. The Angels all looked to one another nodding as they began to get up.

'Why don't we head over to my place, we can go through everything there.' Kris suggested as they headed towards the doors, Cate and Kelly grabbing the files from Bosley's desk as they went.

'Bos you want to have the information Charlie's finding for us sent over as soon as it's ready.' Cate called over her shoulder as she followed after her sister. Bosley waved as he read over the paperwork whilst the two workmen started putting down dustsheets over the furniture and carpet so they could begin painting.

'Was he paying attention to you?' Kelly asked as Cate passed her heading to her own car.

'I think so, meet you at Kris's.'

'Sure, Kris and Julie have already gone on ahead of us.' Kelly said as she got into her own Mustang car putting the files she carried onto the front passenger seat. The two sisters followed each other to Kris's beach house where Julie and Kris were already setting up the dining room table with nibbles and drinks.

'Hey what took ya?' Kris asked at they entered into the house.

'Well someone had to grab the files y'all forgot to take.' Cate teased as she nudged Kris passing her. The Angels spent the next three hours going over the files and notes they had taken but even with Cate's fresh eyes looking through it all they just couldn't find clue as to who was trying to frame Julie. They all took a break and headed out to the decking to get some fresh air with their drinks.

'I can't believe we can't find anything.' Kris quietly said to Cate as they wondered down the side stairs that led to the beach.

'We'll figure it out Kris, we will.' Cate said determined as they both stopped looking out to the ocean.

'Cate!' Kelly called out for her sister who turned to look up at her sister who stood at the top of the stairs. 'Phone call.' Cate waved back to Kelly as she headed back up to the house Kris beside her.

'Everything alright between you two?' Kris asked as they walked.

'Same as usual Kris, why'd you ask?' Cate turned slightly to her friend as they spoke.

'Just seems to be a little tension between the pair of you is all.'

'When isn't there?' Cate joked trying to get Kris away from the subject. 'Don't worry about it Kris you know what it's like just sister stuff.' Cate offered Kris a reassuring smile which Kris returned knowing full well Cate was holding back from her just like Kelly was. Cate walked in ahead of Kris taking the phone from her.

'It's Bosley.' Kelly smiled resting her hand on Cate's shoulder as she got up from where she was sat with the phone and headed back to the dining table.

'Hey Bos, what's going on?'

'I thought you were all going to be at your place?'

'No, Kris offered her place, Bos you were there at the time, didn't you hear her?'

'I did but you asked for the files Charlie was working on to be sent over.'

'I did yeah where are they anyway?'

'At your place.'

'My place?' Cate said confused.

'Well I thought you were all there.'

'Alright Bos, I'll head over and pick it up now, thanks.' Cate sighed as she hung up the phone.

'What's up?' Julie asked leaning back in her seat.

'Bos sent the new information from Charlie to my place.'

'So he wasn't paying attention.' Kelly smirked.

'I guess not. I'll go fetch them and bring it back here.' Cate said as she picked up her jacket leaving.

'See you in a few.' Kris called out after her. 'Typical Bos.' Kris laughed with the others.

Cate drove the small distance back to her house slightly annoyed that Bosley wasn't paying attention earlier. Pulling into her drive Cate got out of her car and shoved her hand into her jacket pocket pulling out her house keys. Unlocking the door and entering in shutting the door behind her Cate walked to the centre of her lounge and listened to her house. Looking around a little Cate felt a sudden unease in her own home. 'Damn it.' Cate muttered to herself as she realized too late that she had an intruder in her home, before she could turn or try to defend herself the intruder swiftly hit Cate with something hard and heavy from behind, feeling a sharp pain Cate collapsed to the floor blackness folding in on her.

* * *

_**Song used - 'Song For You' - Carpenters  
**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6.**

Cate's body lay motionless on her lounge floor. Her attacker had left and dusk was now beginning to fall outside. The phone began to ring stirring Cate from the darkness she had been knocked into. Slowly Cate came round her vision blurry but the sound of the phone ringing continued piercing through her head which was already throbbing. Cate tried pushing herself up to her knees but the pain and the feeling of the room spinning stopped her as she lowered herself back to the floor again, Cate recognized it was far more comfortable there but the phone was persistent. Groaning Cate decided to drag herself to the phone which was sat on a small table beside the sofa, which was not too far from where she lay. Pulling herself along the carpet she eventually reached the phone. Slamming her hand onto the receiver Cate lifted it and pulled it down to her.

'Hello?' Cate spoke into the phone her voice strained from pain and exertion.

'Cate, finally.' Kelly impatiently said down the phone. 'We've been trying to reach you for the last few hours, where have you been?'

'Unconscious.' Cate said as she managed to sit herself up propping her back against her sofa.

'What?' Kelly shocked called out making Cate wince.

'Please Kel, not so loud or high pitched.'

'We're on our way over right now, just stay where you are.' Kelly ordered as she hung up the phone.

'Like I'm going anywhere.' Cate said aloud to herself putting the phone receiver back on its cradle.

In the fifteen minutes it took for the Angels to get to Cate's home she had found the strength to pull herself up to sit on her couch putting her feet up in front of her on the low coffee table and leaning back into the couch.

Kelly came rushing through the door first followed by Kris and then Julie. Kelly swept through sitting straight away next to her sister.

'Are you alright, what happened?' Kelly asked as she placed a hand on Cate's shoulder and knee looking her sister over for visible wounds.

'I walked in sensed something wasn't right, before I could turn someone hit from behind and the world faded to black.' Cate explained as Kelly slipped her hand behind Cate's shoulder gently pushing her forward, Cate carefully moved allowing Kelly to check her, being struck from behind it wasn't as if Cate could really check for any wound properly herself.

'Anything been taken?' Kris asked looking around the lounge as Julie walked through the house checking other rooms.

'No idea, I've only just managed to pull myself up from the floor to the phone and then to here. It wasn't easy and the room has only just stopped spinning.' Cate smiled reassuringly to a worried looking Kris. Cate breathed in sharply as Kelly found the bruising and cut at the base of Cate's head.

'We're going to the hospital.' Kelly announced.

'I don't need to go to the hospital.' Cate replied placing her hand to where Kelly's had been.

'Yeah you do.' Julie said as she walked back into the living room. Cate looked up to Julie and then Kris who both gave her the same stern look; she then turned to her sister.

'You're not going to drop this until we go to the hospital are you?' Cate asked looking at Kelly who smiled to her sister shaking her head concerned.

'No, let's go.' Kelly said standing up then turning to help Cate up. Using Kelly as her balance Cate took her sisters hand and stood up wobbling slightly as she did Kelly was beside her more closely in an instant putting a supportive arm around her waist. 'We'll see you two in a few.' Kelly smiled to Kris and Julie who smiled back sympathetically to the sisters as they started walking out of the house.

'We'll take a good look around Cate, see if the intruder left anything behind.' Kris said as she walked behind Kelly taking hold of the front door keeping it open as they passed through.

'You need us to do anything?' Julie asked standing opposite Kris at the front doorway. Cate called back over her shoulder to them.

'You could start on dinner.' Cate began to chuckle to herself as she got into Kelly's car. Kelly waved back to Kris and Julie as she got into her car and drove off towards the hospital they had all become so accustomed to.

'How are you really feeling?' Kelly asked as she drove glancing over to her baby sister every chance she could.

'A little stupid to be honest and in a lot of pain, I have the most amazing headache.'

'I'll bet, but why do you feel stupid? You couldn't have known this was going to happen.' Kelly said a little confused by her sister's remark.

'No I guess not. I just… as soon as I walked into the house and shut the door I knew something was off, I just can't remember what it was.' Cate explained as she slunk down a little in the car seat.

'Did you only have the feeling when you were in your home or did it start outside?'

'No inside.'

'Ok, can you remember if anything looked out of place a chair, table that sort of thing?' Kelly asked trying to tease out the memory.

'No it wasn't that it was just a feeling, like I was being watched before I knew it bam, I was out like a light.' Cate said rubbing the back of her neck.

'We'll get you checked over and back home before you know it ok?' Kelly said reassuringly.

'Yeah sure.' Cate replied closing her eyes as she leaned back into the seat.

'Hey now, no going to sleep, you stay awake and talk to me.'

'We'll only argue.'

'No we won't but you can't go to sleep alright.' Cate laughed a little.

'Alright, what shall we talk about?'

'Why won't you stay with the agency?'

'I thought you said we weren't going to argue.' Cate countered.

'We're not, we're going to talk.'

'You know why I won't stay Kel, I'm a danger to the team and apparently myself as well.' Cate said pointing to the base of her head.

'None of this is your fault.' Kelly pressed.

'No but if I was on top of my game, this wouldn't have happened.'

'You don't know that Cate.'

'I think the fact that Kris had to throw me to the ground and that someone cracked me over the head proves that I'm in no shape to be working at the agency. I will say this though.'

'What?'

'That was the best sleep I have had in a few nights.'

'Not funny, you were unconscious.'

'Same difference.'

'Cate.' Kelly said exasperated.

'We're here.' Cate pointed to the large building to the side of them as Kelly pulled into the hospitals open car park.

After an hour Kelly was driving the pair of them back to Cate's house.

'Well at least we know my brain is still where it should be.' Cate joked as Kelly silently drove.

'That's something I suppose.' Kelly said keeping her eyes on the road. 'Along with a concussion.'

'That would explain the lingering headache.' Silence fell between the sisters, Cate turned to look at Kelly. 'Say what's on your mind Kel.'

'You don't want to hear what's on my mind.'

'If I didn't want to know I wouldn't have asked now would I?' Kelly glanced to her sister then looked back to the road pulling over to the side of the road as soon as she was able to.

'Fine, you want to know what's on my mind?'

'Yeah I do so tell me.' Cate said folding her arms across her chest.

'I want to understand how you can jump into a crowded fist fight and walk away from it still wanting to leave the agency.'

'I thought we already had this conversation.' Cate said darkness clouding her eyes.

'No you had it and shut me out of it. Don't I at least get a say in your decision?'

'You can have a say Kelly but it's still my decision to make not yours.'

'Explain the fight to me then, what makes that so different?'

'From a gunfight? I thought that would be kind of obvious.'

'You could just as easily have been hurt or killed in a fist fight, who knows what weapons those women could have been carrying.' Kelly pointed out.

'But they weren't.'

'They could have been.'

'Look Kelly, I'm sorry you don't understand my reasoning behind leaving but you're going to have to learn a way to deal with it.' Cate said ending the discussion. Kelly seeing that the conversation was about to go no further at this point in time started the car again and pulled back out onto the road.

Kris and Julie had spent the time the sisters were at the hospital looking around Cate's home to see if anything was missing or out of place but without Cate being there it was hard to tell if things were missing.

'Maybe Cate disturbed whoever it was before they could get what they wanted.' Julie suggested.

'Maybe.' Kris said not convinced as she picked up the file on the coffee table in the lounge opening it and starting to flick through it.

'So are we cooking or ordering in?' Julie asked leaning across the kitchen bar.

'Do you want to cook?' Kris asked looking to Julie with a smirk.

'Not really.'

'Me either, let's order in, pizza?'

'Sounds good to me we've had Chinese a lot lately.' Julie said laughing a little picking up the kitchen phone.

Cate and Kelly walked into the house finding Kris sat on the couch file in her lap whilst Julie was still in the kitchen taking plates out of the cupboard followed by drinking glasses.

'Hey, how'd you get on at the hospital?' Kris asked looking up straight away to Cate as she walked through the front door.

'All is good, slight concussion but everything else checked out just fine so they sent me home to rest and take pain killers for the head ache.' Cate explained as she took her jacket off and hung it on the coat stand beside the front door, taking Kelly's jacket she hung it next to hers.

'I'm going to stay here with Cate tonight just to make sure everything's ok throughout the night, doctors orders.' Kelly said when she saw the expression on Kris's face that was obviously questioning Kelly if it was necessary.

'We want to make sure I wake up in the morning.' Cate quipped as she sat down next to Kris on the sofa taking the top two sheets of the report she was reading.

'You want me to get you some pain killers?' Kelly asked as she watched Cate rub her temples and then the back of her neck. Looking up from the sheets of paper in her hands Cate smiled to Kelly.

'That would be great thanks.' Kelly nodded walking in to the kitchen with Julie who poured some juice into a glass for Kelly as she took the small bottle of painkillers from the top shelf of one of the kitchen cabinets that hung from the wall.

'Why don't you go and lie down for a little while?' Kris asked leaning towards Cate a little as she did.

'Thanks but I'd rather keep working. What are we eating tonight anyway?'

'Pizza.' Kris simply answered turning to look at the file in her lap again.

'Great, I was getting a little bored with Chinese all the time.' Cate said as Kris smirked.

'Have either of you called Charlie?' Julie asked as she took a seat in one of the armchairs by the side of the coffee table.

'No you?' Kelly asked handing her sister the pills and drink; Cate smiled thanking Kelly.

'Nope, we thought we'd wait for you two plus we can't see that anything is missing. Everything looks the way you left it Cate so it's probably best you take a look around and make sure nothing's missing then we can call Charlie and fill him in.' Kris explained as Cate took her pills, put her drinks glass down on the coffee table and stood up, heading out of the lounge to the back rooms of her home.

'Well, might as well look now before I settle down too much.' Cate mused. Looking through the rooms, her bedroom especially Cate could see nothing disturbed or missing. Heading back out to the lounge Cate walked straight across to the small cabinet that contained her safe. Opening the cabinet, she unlocked the safe with its combination and checked over its contents. 'Everything's here, nothing missing.' Cate said as she shut the safe shrugging.

'So what was this person after?' Julie asked.

'No clue.' Cate replied as she took her seat back next to Kris.

'That's the problem, we have no clue.' Kelly said slapping her hand down onto her thigh, frustrated.

'We'd better phone Charlie, fill him in.' Kris said as Cate turned to the phone, which sat on the small table next to her. Dialing the number Cate hit the speaker box button so that all of them could hear and speak with Charlie.

'Hello?' Charlie's smooth voice came over the speaker.

'Hi Charlie it's Cate and everyone else.'

'Cate, Angels is everything alright?' Charlie asked concern in his tone.

'Things have been better Charlie. Cate was attacked in her home this afternoon.' Kelly explained a worried expression on her face as she looked to her sister.

'What!? Cate are you alright, have you been to the hospital?' Charlie rushed.

'I'm fine Charlie, whoever it was who attacked me hit me from behind when I entered into my home. Lights out I'm afraid Charlie, I have no idea who it was who attacked me or why?'

'Nothing's missing Angel?'

'No nothing, I've just looked but everything is where I left it.'

'Hmmmm, very strange but the important thing is that you are alright.'

'She has a mild concussion Charlie but the doctor said that everything was fine.' Kelly explained.

'Well you'd best take it easy for the rest of the night and tomorrow then Angel.' Charlie ordered like a doting father.

'Will do Charlie.' Cate smirked to herself.

'Did you get the report ok?' Charlie asked.

'We did Charlie, I've just been skimming through it waiting for the others to join me.' Kris explained.

'I'm told that the last two pages of that twelve page report are of particular interest to us Angels.' Charlie explained.

'You haven't read it yourself Charlie?' Julie asked surprised.

'Not those pages Julie, no, they were put in after they left here.' Charlie explained as Kris went through the sheets of pages looking confused.

'What's the matter Kris?' Kelly asked seeing the confused look on her young friends face.

'Are you sure this is a twelve page report Charlie?' Kris asked checking the pages again.

'Absolutely Angel, why?'

'There are only ten pages here.' Kris said.

'Have you counted the two I've got here?' Cate asked holding up the two pages she had.

'Yeah, I counted those, there's definitely only ten pages here.' Kris said closing the report and waving it about slightly in her hand.

'Well it looks like we know what Cate's attacker was after.' Charlie deduced.

'And took them.' Kelly agreed not looking very happy about it.

'Any ideas what those pages contained Charlie?' Cate asked.

'Afraid not Cate, as I said they were put in after they left here.'

'Who by Charlie?' Kris asked.

'One of my contacts Angels, I'll contact him and ask for those pages again.' Charlie said just as the doorbell rang.

'That would be dinner.' Julie said as she got up to answer the front door.

'I'll leave you to your meal Angels. Cate take care of yourself, Kelly are you staying with your sister tonight?'

'Yes Charlie, I am.' Kelly swiftly answered.

'Good, alright then I'll speak with you soon Angels, goodnight.'

'Bye Charlie.' The Angels chorused as the line disconnected.

'Wonder what those two pages contained?' Kris asked as she got up to help Julie in the kitchen.

'No idea, but you just know it's going to keep me awake for the majority of tonight.' Cate said sitting back into her couch propping her head onto her hand. Kelly gave her sister a sympathetic look as Julie and Kris handed out plates of pizza.

'Think your head could stand a little music?' Kris asked looking down to Cate from where she stood to the side of her.

'Are you going to perform?' Cate asked a smile beginning to form at the corner of her mouth.

'No but I thought we could put some music on whilst we eat, talk.' Kris said as she went over to Cate's stereo switching on the radio and finding a station that she thought was playing music they would all like. The Angels all smiled to one another as the music played quietly in the background, a soundtrack to their evening.

'Julie, can we ask you about you and Marcus?' Kris asked biting the bullet. Julie took a deep breath as she chewed her food, looking down to her plate and the slices of pizza on it she nodded, knowing that she was going to have to discuss what had happened eventually.

'What happened Julie, why didn't you accept the proposal?' Kelly asked before taking a sip from her drink.

'I just wasn't ready for it that was all, not marriage anyway.'

'So you ended the relationship?' Kris asked bewildered by her friend's actions.

'I didn't see how I could stay with him after rejecting him.'

'But you only rejected the proposal Julie, not Marcus…' Kelly pointed out.

'It's the same thing isn't it, how can I stay with a man after I turn his proposal down?'

'You should have talked it through with him Julie, Marcus wouldn't have wanted to end everything.' Cate explained taking another slice of pizza from the box Kelly noticed with a smile; at least she hadn't lost her appetite.

'You and I both know he would stay with you anyway, he'd just like to make it a little more official, that's all. He's a traditionalist that way.' Cate explained spinning the stringy cheese around the pointed end of her slice of pizza.

'There was just so much going on I felt it was a good point in time to end it.' Julie explained forcefully hoping it might bring an end to the conversation.

'But you wish you hadn't.' Cate said looking to Julie from under her eyebrows. Julie sighed, the problem with your closest friends, family even, being detectives is sometimes they can see right through you.

'It's not too late Julie.' Kris gently added.

'Marcus won't want to talk to me.' Julie pouted.

'Oh I think he might.' Cate smiled. 'Just talk to him.'

'You want to talk to him for me?' Julie smirked her icy blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

'Hey, I've already set the ground work; the rest is up to you.' Cate said speaking through a mouthful of pizza.

'I'm sure if you explain everything you've been feeling lately with Karen and everything Marcus will understand.' Kelly said looking sympathetically at Julie who again was hanging her head shifting slices of pizza around her plate.

'Yeah, well maybe when this is all over we'll talk.' Julie sighed.

'Not maybe, defiantly.' Kris said nudging Julie's knee with her foot from where she sat just to the side of her on the couch. Julie looked to Kris and then Cate and Kelly smiling bashfully as she looked back down to her plate of food. Kelly watched for a few moments as the room fell silent accept for the music still playing in the background.

'So what do we do tomorrow?' Kelly asked changing the subject, taking the spotlight off of Julie, which, she appreciated.

'We see if Charlie can get those missing pages to us again I suppose.' Kris answered. The others nodded in agreement.

'There doesn't seem to be much else we can do at the moment anyway, we have no leads to follow.' Cate pointed out as she put her plate down on to the centre coffee table in front of her. Sitting back in to her comfortable sofa she rested her feet on the edge of the same table.

'You think it's worth checking in with the detectives in charge of Karen's case, see if they have anything?' Julie asked barely lifting her eyes to look at her friends. The thought of Karen and mentioning her name still tore at Julie.

'Why not, they may be able to shine some light on to why somebody attacked Cate.' Kelly nodded placing her plate down on top of Cate's.

'Sounds like a plan to me.' Cate agreed, her head resting on the back of the couch her eyes closed.

'Maybe you should wait and see how you feel tomorrow.' Kris suggested placing her hand on Cate's thigh. Turning her head to look at Kris through half opened eyes Cate smiled to her friend covering Kris's hand with her own.

'I'll be fine.' Cate said chuckling slightly.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7.**

The following morning Kris arrived at the office before the rest of the team, even Bosley, which was a little unusual. Entering in Kris got things oranised for when everyone would arrive. She switched on the coffee pot and set out cups she then took the file she had kept with her from Cate's the night previous and placed it onto Bosley's desk. Pouring herself a cup of coffee once it was ready Kris sat behind Bosley's desk opening the file as she did and began reading it again.

Bosley entered the room with Julie not far behind him.

'Good morning.' He chirpily said finding Kris already working always pleased him after all _time is money_.

'Morning.' Kris replied after swallowing the small amount of hot coffee she had just poured into her mouth.

'Still looking at that file?' Julie asked seeing it open in front of her friend as she herself flopped down into one of the armchairs at the front of Bosley's desk.

'You never know what you might have missed.' Kris smiled broadly as she answered. 'Coffee's on if you want any.' Kris said indicating to the pot on the bar. Bosley went straight over pouring two cups, handing one to Julie.

'How's Cate?' Bosley asked sitting in an armchair next to Julie.

'She's fine, had a bit of a headache last night but aside from that seemed just fine. They should be here soon.' Julie explained.

'Kelly stayed the night with her?' Bosley asked taking a sip from his coffee.

'Yeah, just to keep an eye on Cate, doctors orders.' Kris explained.

'And big sisters.' Julie quipped. 'Kris, you get the feeling there's something going on between those two?' Julie asked leaning across the back of the armchair putting her cup onto the desk.

'There's always something going with those two.' Kris smirked.

'I know but, I don't know, I just feel that there's something serious going on between them.'

'Well…' Kris began, she wasn't sure how to explain to Julie and Bosley about Cate's recent troubles since the shooting.

'What is it Kris?' Bosley turned concern across his face.

'Cate's been suffering from nightmares since the shooting, more so since she returned here but that's not really all. For whatever reason she doesn't seem to want to go near her gun, she's got it locked up in her safe at home.' Kris explained, she hated the feeling of betrayal she had coursing through her but Julie and Bosley needed to know, they were apart f this team too.

'I thought I saw the box for it last night when she was checking the safe.' Julie said a worried expression crossing her features.

'Maybe she shouldn't have come back so soon.' Bosley said.

'We had no other choice Bos, we couldn't ask Jill, Bri or Tiff they're all so busy with their lives far from here and Cate was fine and clear by all accounts from her doctors ready to come back and we needed her. Again that's not all, Bette isn't talking to her.'

'What! Why not?' Julie shocked asked sitting straight in her seat still looking to Kris.

'She wants Cate out of the detective profession and either at the motel or with Danny at the family business or with her aunt and uncle on the ranch.' Kris explained.

'I wish she'd told me this.' Julie said sitting back down into the armchair facing back into the room away from Kris.

'It's been a little hectic Julie, Kelly and I only found out when we pushed her and you were still in jail at the time.' Kris explained as she got up from behind the desk and moved over to the sofa, propping herself on its arm looking at Julie who had lowered her head looking down at her hands. 'Hey, it's no ones fault, Cate's just got a lot on her mind right now. She'll work through it and be back to her old self before you know it.' Kris smiled to both Bosley and Julie doing her best to sound positive.

'I'm sure she will be.' Bosley agreed raising his cup toasting to the thought as he got up and took his seat back behind his desk.

'Morning guys.' Cate said as she walked into the room, Kelly just behind her.

'Morning, how are you feeling?' Kris asked smiling up to Cate.

'Not too bad a little sore but I'm ok.' Cate smiled taking a seat on the armchair next to Julie.

'You sure you shouldn't be at home taking things easy?' Julie asked concerned.

'I'll be fine Julie, no worries.' Cate smiled as Kelly handed her a cup of coffee, Cate had given up trying to quit the caffeine hit every morning, it was just too good not to miss.

'And in any case she's working from the office.' Kelly said with a small smile as she sat on the sofa Kris was still propped against.

'That is also true.' Cate agreed nodding slightly as she pressed her lips together.

'Already had that discussion huh?' Kris asked trying not to laugh picturing the two sisters bickering about in on their way into work.

'Something like that.' Cate smirked nodding slowly.

'Kelly put the big sister foot down?' Julie asked.

'That and Cate had an issue with her balance this morning.' Kelly explained.

'Which as I said before has passed now.' Cate defended.

'You're still working from here today.' Kelly said with authority, Cate smirked slightly at her saluting her older sister.

'Yes ma'am.' Cate teased. 'I run ops here and keep tabs on everyone, Bos you lucky thing you, you get to go into the field today.' Cate joked turning towards Bosley slightly.

'You've spent too much time with Jill.' Bosley grumbled at Cate's teasing.

'Now Bos, you know you're always saying you want to be out in the field a lot more.' Kris said sticking up for Cate whilst still teasing Bosley.

'True ladies true.' Bosley smiled at Kris. 'So where are we heading first?' Bosley asked just as the phone rang. Picking up the handset Bosley answered the call. 'They're all here Charlie, hold on for a moment.' Bosley hit the speaker button as he placed the phone down in its cradle.

'Good morning Angels.' Charlie's breezy voice called out. Smiling the Angels all responded with their good mornings. 'Cate, how are you feeling this morning?'

'Fine Charlie a little sore maybe but a lot better than last night.' Cate explained as she looked to the speaker box at the centre of Bosley's desk.

'That's good to hear. I have some good news Angels; I called my contact last night for those two missing pages.'

'And Charlie?' Kris asked eager to know what the pages contained.

'Copies of those pages can be picked up from his office today. Bosley you should have Mark Shelley's office address.' Charlie explained as Bosley opened his right hand desk drawer removing his office address book.

'That I do Charlie.' Bosley replied as he leafed through the book to the correct page jotting down the address.

'Kris why don't you go and pick up the pages.' Charlie said as he gave out instructions for the team. 'Kelly, you, Julie and Cate head to the police station see what they might have to share with us now that Julie has been cleared of charges.' Charlie said with a happy note in his tone at the mention of Julie having been cleared of charges.

'Only one problem I see with that Charlie.' Kelly began.

'What's that Angel?' Charlie asked.

'I'm on lock down Charlie; Bosley's taking my place in the field today.' Cate explained.

'We thought it might be best Charlie, at least for today after the attack yesterday.' Kelly finished explaining herself giving Cate a scolding big sister stare.

'Of course good idea Kelly, alright then Bosley, you go with the Angels today, see what you can find out.' Charlie directed.

'Will do Charlie.' Bosley said as he handed Kris a slip of paper with the address for Mark Shelley on it.

'Keep in touch Angels.' Charlie said as he disconnected the call.

'Bos, isn't this the address for the FBI headquarters?' Kris asked recognizing the address.

'That's right my dear Kris, Mark is an FBI agent.' Bosley confirmed as he put his address book away again.

'Well, y'all better get moving.' Cate said to her team.

'I guess you'd be right.' Julie said slapping her hands down on the arms of the armchair she was sat in as she got up.

'You going to be alright going to the station?' Cate asked Julie watching her expressions as she answered. Julie raised her hands out to her sides shrugging her shoulders as she did then letting her arms drop to her side again as she replied.

'Sure, I'll be fine. They have a statement and reliable witness to say I was with him and they've cleared the charges. Nothing to be worried about right?'

'Right.' Kelly agreed smiling warmly in support of Julie as she herself stood up. 'So we'll call in with you in a couple of hours and up date you with anything we find out.' Kelly said as she turned to her sister.

'Ok I'll stay here and wait by the phone and try to find something to do whilst I wait.' Cate said looking around the office as Kris tried to stifle her laughter at her friend's expense. Cate looked to Kris arching her eyebrow at her not amused but began to smirk herself finding amusement in being left behind herself. 'Go on get out of here, go find stuff out like the good detectives I know y'all are, that goes for you to Bos.' Cate teased again, Bosley threw Cate an unhappy glare as he left the office. The others waved as they walked out after him, Cate stayed seated in the armchair looking around the office as it fell silent. Even though the agency had been re-built after Diane's explosive attack, Cate felt as though echoes of the past agency still resonated from the walls of the new building. She could still picture the very scene of sitting in the agency for the first time after she had come out of the shadows and joined the Angels as a full member of the team, not an under cover Angel. She heard Jill's infectious laughter, which made Cate laugh a little to herself, the shouting and arguments she had, had with Kris, always yelling and then there was Kelly. Cate got up from her seat and moved to sit behind Bosley's desk seeing the file Kris had left out. Cate began to read through the file again writing down any notes on a pad of paper next to her, anything that came to mind, when the phone began to ring.

'Townsend Agency.' Cate said into the phone still reading over the file as someone spoke into her ear.

'Hey big sister.' Scotty's voice broke Cate away from the file straight away, a smile spreading wide across her face.

'Hey little brother, what's going on?' Cate asked as she leaned back in the big leather desk chair.

'Not much the usual, working hard on the ranch.'

'And playing hard too I bet.' Cate laughed which Scotty reflected.

'Yeah, still having a lot of fun.'

'So what's with the phone call, missing me already?'

'You got it in one. I was just wondering how things were going, if you were doing alright?' Cate could hear the nervous concern in her brother's tone.

'Things are fine Scotty. We got Julie out of jail and charges dropped.'

'That's great. What about you?' Cate smiled and laughed quietly to herself a little, Scotty was heading back towards acting like the older sibling again.

'I'm ok.' Cate lied, but it was a lie to protect her brother.

'You're lying.' Scotty called her out. Damn it, Cate thought to herself. Sighing Cate decided it was best to talk to him rather than shut him out; he deserved to know what was going on.

'I can't do this anymore kiddo.'

'What do you mean?' Scotty asked, Cate could tell from the sound of movement in the background Scotty was making himself comfortable for a long conversation.

'I don't think I can do this job anymore. We were attacked in the office the other day, someone fired gun shots through the window. I froze Scotty; Kris had to knock me to the ground and got herself hurt in the process. She's ok but it could have been so much worse.' Cate explained as she leaned back in the big leather chair, her back to the closed office doors.

'Did you get hurt?' Scotty asked quietly.

'No, only my pride.' Cate said looking at her free hand running her thumb across her fingertips.

'Have you told anyone?'

'Yeah I told Kelly, she didn't take it well.'

'I'll bet. She'll come round though Cate.'

'Actually she really won't but I'll deal with that in time.'

'When are you going to tell the others?'

'When we find out who framed Julie and knocked me out cold yesterday.' Cate explained the phone line went quiet. 'I forgot to mention that didn't I?' Cate winced slightly at her own mistake.

'Ya kinda did yeah.' Scotty replied unhappily. 'What happened?'

'I went to my place to pick up a file and there was an intruder, I noticed too late and they hit me from behind. Lights out for your sister.'

'You're ok? And not funny by the way.'

'Sorry, yeah fine, Kelly took me to the hospital to get checked out, mild concussion and a nice sized bump which has gone down now thankfully. That's why I'm here on desk duty and not out with the others, a day of rest for your big sister.'

'Good, you sure you're ok?'

'From the attack yes, everything else not so much but I'll finish this case and then, well…I'll figure the rest out when I get to it.'

'I might have something for you.' Scotty offered his tone changing slightly, he was sounding happier, devilish even.

'What?' Cate asked intrigued as a smile began to appear at the corner of her mouth.

'We got a call for you last night.' Scotty began to explain.

'Really, who from?'

'Cally Abbott.'

'Cally! What was she after?' Cate asked surprised to hear that, pleasantly surprised though.

'She said she had business to discuss with you, wouldn't say anymore.'

'Did you give her my home number?'

'Sure I did, but she gave me her number for me to give to you as well. She knows how busy you can be, thought it might be easier if you called her.' Scotty explained then giving Cate the number who jotted it down on the notepad by her side.

'All right I'll give her a call. Business talk though, weird, I don't have any business with Cally.'

'I think you're about to sis.' Scotty laughed.

'Did she mention anything to you about it?'

'No but said you'd be very interested in what she had to talk with you about.'

'Curiouser and curiouser.' Cate said smiling as she looked at the number written down.

'You want to call her now don't you?' Scotty asked knowing exactly what his older sister was thinking.

'Kind of yeah.' Sighing Scotty gave in.

'Go on then, impatient. I'll call you again soon, see how you're getting on then and you can tell me all about it.'

'Yeah sure, sounds great Scott.'

'And Cate, everything will be ok you know? Kelly will come round.'

'You mean like Mama has?' Cate scoffed. 'Don't worry too much about me baby brother, I'll be ok, give my love to everyone, we'll talk soon.' Cate smiled into the phone.

'Ok, well I love you big sister, speak soon.'

'Love you too little brother, bye.' Cate continued to smile as she hung up the phone.

'Sounds like you have a good relationship with your family.' Annabelle said from behind Cate making her jump out of her skin.

'Jeez! Annabelle, what are you doing here?' Cate asked not amused by her unannounced visit.

'Just here for a catch up, everything ok?' Annabelle asked looking quizzically at Cate.

'Everything's fine, how long have been in here anyway?'

'Only a few minutes, don't worry I heard nothing interesting.'

'Right.' Cate said not believing her. 'Well the rest of the team is out following up on things.' Cate explained not moving from where she sat to offer Annabelle a drink or even a seat.

'And they left you here guarding the office, unusual isn't it.' Annabelle asked fishing for something, mostly to annoy Cate probably.

'Yeah well, I was attacked in my home yesterday so I'm taking it easy today, running things from the desk.'

'Are you alright, what happened?'

'I'm fine.' Cate said shutting the file on the desk and leaning across it. 'I was knocked out, hit from behind.' Cate explained pointing to the area behind her head to where she was struck.

'Ouch, anything taken?'

'No, nothing.' Cate lied. 'Must have disturbed them before they could take anything.' Cate watched Annabelle's response as she slowly nodded her head taking in what Cate had told her.

'You were lucky then.' Annabelle said as she leaned against the arm of the sofa.

'Yeah lucky.' Cate replied laughing slightly.

'Sorry, I mean it could have been worse, it could have been the shipping yard all over again. I wish I could have been there, at the ship yard, to have helped out, I really do, maybe then it all could have been avoided, you getting hurt I mean.' Annabelle said with sincerity. 'How is your shoulder, does it still give you any problems?' Annabelle asked looking to the shoulder, which was wounded.

'It's fine, no problems at all.' Cate said there was no lie in that and Cate had nothing to hide.

'It must have been terrible, I'm sorry you all had to go through it.' Cate was beginning to get confused by Annabelle's concern and sincerity towards the past case and the Angels, it wasn't as if Annabelle had been anywhere near them for years, why be so concerned now, so much remorse. Annabelle obviously noticed Cate's change in attitude as she changed the subject. 'So nothing new to share with me then?' Annabelle asked knowing she wasn't about to get anywhere with this Angel, just like she wouldn't with her sister either.

'Nope, nothing.' Cate smiled, saying as little as possible.

'So nothing in that file?' Annabelle asked motioning towards the file Cate was leaning on.

'Not for you no.' Cate sternly said. Annabelle walked around to the side of the desk and Cate.

'You don't like to share that much do you Cate?' Annabelle asked leaning on the desk trying to intimidate Cate, which amused her. Looking up to Annabelle and raising an eyebrow at her she replied.

'You get a subpoena and I'll share everything with you.' Cate smugly smiled. Standing up straight and looking a little pissed off Annabelle looked down at Cate almost sneering Cate thought.

'Fine.' Annabelle slipped her hands into her trouser pockets spun on her heel and started to leave the office when Kris opened the door nearly smacking it into Annabelle in the process. Grabbing the door as it opened, Annabelle waited for Kris to enter before she swooped past her and left slamming the door after.

'Well good morning to you too Anna.' Kris said to the shut door. 'Problem?' She asked Cate who looked distracted. Kris approached Cate putting her hand on to Cate's as it rested on the desk. 'Hey, you ok?' Cate looked up to Kris and shook herself out of where ever her mind had gone to.

'Yeah, fine. I just thought, never mind, it's nothing.' Cate smiled.

'What was that all about?' Kris asked indicating towards the shut door.

'Oh she was looking for any information we had to give to her.'

'Did you give her anything?'

'Not without a subpoena, nope.'

'Cate.' Kris said in a low tone shaking her head.

'What? We don't need to share anything with her now, so why bother to?'

'Fine.' Kris sighed looking down at the desk seeing the name and number written in Cate's handwriting. 'Who's this?' Kris asked holding up the pad showing it to Cate.

'An old friend of mine who's been trying to get a hold of me.' Cate answered, seeing Kris's confused look she continued. 'Scotty rang a little earlier for a catch up.'

'Checking on his older sister?'

'Yeah, wanted to make sure everything was going ok. Cally called my aunt's place looking for me.'

'Anything wrong?'

'Don't know but I doubt it, she wants to talk business.' Cate smiled as she took the notepad from Kris.

'You have business with her, the motel?'

'No, I don't have any business with her, not yet anyway. I'll call her later. What did you find out?'

'Here are the missing pages.' Kris said taking the envelope from the armchair where she had dropped it with her purse as she came in.

'They show anything interesting?' Cate asked as Kris opened the large envelope containing the pages, pulling them out she placed them in front of Cate and stood close beside her reading over Cate's shoulder.

'No idea thought I'd wait to get back here to look them over with you. Didn't want you feeling left out all day.' Kris smirked as she teased her friend.

'Gee, thanks buddy, alright let's see what was so important in these pages.' Cate said taking one page as Kris scanned the other turning her back to the desk she sat up on it, kicking off her heels she tucked one foot under her and for balance put her other foot rested onto the desk chair.

'Cate.' Kris called her friends name as they both read.

'Yeah?'

'What's going on between you and Kelly?'

'What do you mean?'

'There's something going on between you two, both Julie and I have noticed it.'

'Really, what has Kelly said about it?'

'Nothing, which I assume you're going to do the same.'

'There's nothing to tell Kris.'

'You're lying.' Kris said dropping her hands with the page still held in them into her lap. 'What's going on?' Kris watched Cate for a reaction, which she knew could sometimes be useless, there was a reason Cate beat Kris at poker every other Friday night when she was home. Cate sighed heavily looking up to Kris trying not to give anything away using her best poker face.

'We're just having a few disagreements is all.' Cate explained.

'What, about the nightmares?'

'No not that.' Cate said shaking her head as she looked back down at the page in her hand when she noticed something and sat forward. 'Kris hand me the other page a moment.' Cate asked holding her hand out as she continued reading the page. Kris did as she was asked.

'What is it?'

'It's Annabelle.' Cate simply said.

'What do you mean?' Kris asked confused. Cate handed her the pages as she explained.

'Look towards the bottom of the first page.' Cate pointed out where she meant as Kris read down, Cate picked up the phone punching in a number. 'She's not a Fed anymore.'

Across the other side of town Kelly, Julie and Bosley walked into the police station up to the enquiries desk. A young policewoman looked up from her paperwork to Kelly.

'Can I help you?'

'We're from the Townsend Agency to see detective Martin.' Kelly explained with a warm smile. Julie stood to the side of Kelly her hands by her sides, clenching and unclenching her fists, watching all of the officers who were too busy with their own duties to notice her. 'It's alright Julie, you're safe.' Kelly quietly said to her sensing Julie's rightful unease in the station.

'Excuse me.' The young officer interrupted. 'Here are some visitor's passes for you all if you'd like to all come through detective Martin is waiting for you.' She explained motioning to where the Angels and Bosley should head.

Taking the lead Bosley headed on to where the officer had indicated with Julie and Kelly following behind him.

Detective Martin a man of medium height and build sat on the side of his desk looking at items all pinned onto a board on his wall. There was a picture of Karen with 'diseased' stamped in red on the corner of the photo, next to her photo was one of detective Peter Michaels with the same stamp in the corner of it. Pieces of paper with either computer print outs, photocopies or hand written notes were also pinned all over the board. He ran his hands through his thick black hair as he stood up from his desk stepping closer to his board looking closer at it trying to find the missing piece of his puzzle.

'Detective Martin?' Bosley said knocking on the frame of the office doorway.

'Mr. Bosley?' The detective asked as he went to meet Bosley his hand out stretched to shake his hand.

'Right and these are my colleagues Kelly Garrett and Julie Rogers.' Bosley introduced as the two Angels stepped into the office.

'Nice to meet you both, Miss Rogers I'd like you to know I didn't agree with the way you were treated.' Detective Martin said as he took Julie's hand. 'Unfortunately I'm just a small fish in a big pond.' Julie nodded to the detective appreciating his words.

'You didn't believe Julie was responsible for Detective Michaels death then?' Kelly asked.

'No, no way, I never did. I just wish I could figure out why.' The detective said as he turned back to his board. Kelly followed him looking over it. 'Whatever the answer is I'm sure it's here.'

'Detective Martin…' Julie began to speak when the detective interrupted her.

'Peter, please call me Peter.' Julie smiled nodding.

'Peter, could you explain how I ended up in the main wing of the jail when I was meant to be in the low security section on the day of my release.' Kelly and Bosley looked to Peter waiting for an answer. Sitting on the edge of his desk he offered seats to the Angels and Bosley to which Bosley and Kelly accepted; Julie stayed standing.

'I've looked in to that and the order didn't come from us.' He explained meaning the police force as a whole.

'Then who?' Kelly asked just as there was a knock on Peter's door, they young female officer that had shown the Angels and Bosley in stood waiting to be acknowledged.

'Yeah Penny, what's wrong?' Peter asked smiling at the young officer.

'A lot of the officers are saying that the phone in your car is ringing off the hook Mr. Bosley.' Penny explained.

'Must be our other associates.' Bosley said smiling.

'I'll go and take care of it.' Julie offered, as she was already standing and closest to the door. Bosley tossed her the car keys as Julie headed out back to the car.

'Sorry about that.' Bosley excused. Peter shook his head understanding.

'Now, where was I…' He said thinking to himself. 'Oh yeah, well the order didn't come from our people I know that much and I've checked several times. The call came in above our heads and under our noses.' Peter said unhappily, he looked annoyed by the fact. Kelly was about to ask something again when Peter's desk phone began to ring. 'Sorry.' He apologized as he picked up the phone. 'Detective Martin.' He listened to the person on the other end of the phone for a moment before replying again. 'Put them through.' Peter looked up to Kelly offering her the receiver. 'It's for you.' He simply said as he moved away and sat in his desk chair. Taking the receiver Kelly waited to hear the call be transferred through.

'Hello?' Kelly tentatively said into it.

'Kel, its Cate.' Kelly sat back sighing.

'Hey, what's going on we thought you were trying to phone Bosley's car phone.'

'Why would I do that when I know you're at the station? Anyway, those missing pages from the file.'

'You have them?'

'Yeah Kris got them. They've turned up something interesting.'

'Well what is it?'

'Annabelle.' Cate simply said.

'Annabelle, what about her?' Bosley looked to Kelly confused, Kelly in return shrugged waiting to hear Cate's explanation.

'She's not with the FBI anymore, they kicked her out.'

'So what has she been doing working the case and trying to help Julie?'

'I'm not sure, but I don't think it's good. Where is Julie?'

'She went out to the…' Kelly stopped herself mid sentence her eyes widening as realization dawned on her. 'Cate we'll call you back.' Kelly said as she hung up the phone with a slam. Jumping up to her feet Kelly began to run out of Peter's office heading out after Julie to the car park. 'Please let me be wrong.' Kelly said to herself as she dashed outside to the car park, Bosley and Peter not far behind her.

'Kelly what's going on?' Bosley asked as he huffed out of breath. Kelly didn't answer him as she scoured the car park trying to spot Julie; she was nowhere to be seen. Rushing to Bosley's car she bent down picking up his car keys that were on the ground.

'Annabelle's taken Julie.' Kelly said holding his car keys in the palm of her hand.

'Taken Julie…where?' Bosley asked utterly confused.

'I don't know Bos but wherever it is it won't be good.' Kelly said clenching the keys in her fist.

'Kelly? Kelly!' Cate called down the phone then slamming the receiver on to its cradle. 'Damn it.' She cursed.

'What is it?' Kris asked concerned and confused.

'My sister hung up on me, something's going on. Just as I asked where Julie was she went quiet and said something about calling us back before hanging up on me.' Cate said exasperated as she fell back into the desk chair, rubbing her forehead as she did.

'You ok?' Kris asked watching Cate as a pained expression crossed her friends face.

'Yeah just remind me not to do that again.'

'Still hurts a little huh?' Kris smirked as she got up and went to the bar. Taking a glass down from a self she poured some water into it for Cate then turned to the small cupboard within the bar taking out the small bottle of painkillers. 'Here, you'd better take a couple of these.' Kris smiled putting it all down in front of Cate.

'Thanks.' Cate smiled taking the bottle from the desk and began to try and open it when the phone rang. Kris picked up the phone.

'Townsend Associates. Hi Kel, what's going on?' Kris asked as she took the pill bottle from Cate who was still arguing with the stubborn bottle and its child safety screw top. 'Alright Kel, we'll wait here for you both.' Kris said as she opened the bottle on first attempt then handed it back to Cate as she hung up the phone at the same time.

'Both, what's happened?' Cate asked as she took two of the little white painkillers.

'It looks like Annabelle has taken Julie.' Kris calmly said. 'Kelly and Bos are on their way back now. The detective they went to see is working on it with some other officers, it happened on their door step, he's taken it a little personally it would seem.'

'What the hell's going on with Anna? Does she really want to hurt Julie?'

'If she does, why, what could Julie have possibly done to warrant any harm from her?' Kris asked taking a seat again on the desk beside Cate.

'Julie didn't even know Anna until this mess all happened.' Cate unhappily said leaning back in the desk chair. 'I think my head ache just got worse.' Cate grimaced; both Angels sat quietly for a few moments processing what had just happened. 'Why are we sat here waiting anyway?' Cate asked beginning to get impatient.

'Kelly said they were on their way back, we're to wait for them and then call Charlie.'

'Right, of course.' Cate sighed rolling her eyes as she did.

'It's not like we know where to start Cate.' Kris pointed out to which Cate agreed unhappily.

'Well, let's start trying to figure it out.' Cate said feeling the need to do something.

'Well, it's probably best to have Charlie call his contacts at the FBI and find out exactly why Anna isn't with them any more. What was she talking with you about before she stormed out of here?' Kris asked still sat up on the desk.

'We talked about the attack last night at my place which moved onto the shooting at the ship yard with Diane.' Cate explained the shooting running through her mind again as she sat forward leaning her forearms on the desk her brow furrowed.

'What is it? You had that look when I came in earlier.' Kris observed.

'You haven't changed your perfume have you?'

'What…no why?'

'Didn't think so, when Anna stormed off that quick turn she took it allowed her perfume's fragrance to be stronger. I thought I recognized it but I wasn't sure where.'

'And you are now?' Kris asked pretty sure she knew where this was heading.

'Yeah, my place yesterday, its how I knew something wasn't right. There was a fragrance in my home that I didn't recognize. Everything went black before I could figure out what it was, now I know.'

'Anna. She attacks you and takes the pages from the report. She must have known we would have gotten them again though, why be so reckless?'

'May be she's just not ready to face us yet?' Cate surmised.

'So she just grabs Julie instead?'

'I didn't say it made any sense.' Cate smirked sitting back in the desk chair again propping her chin onto her hand as she did, resting her elbow on the arm of the chair. 'She made a real point though of saying she wished she had been with us at the shipping yard.'

'Why, what would she have done there?' Kris asked having the same reaction as Cate did.

'I don't know, she just feels things wouldn't have gone down the way they did if she would have been there.'

'She could have stopped a sniper shot and a crazy woman?' Kris scoffed.

'I know, it's weird but she was really pained by it.'

'But we haven't seen or heard anything from Anna in ages, why pop up now?'

'That's what we need to figure out and probably the quicker the better.' Kelly said as she entered into the office with Bosley right behind her.

'Hey, any news?' Cate asked as her sister stopped in front of the desk tossing her handbag down on to an armchair Kelly then stood agitated with her hands on her hips.

'Nothing, we have a few eyewitnesses who saw Annabelle force Julie into her car but of course it was at a police station so they took no real notice of it.' Kris and Cate could tell from Kelly's tone that she was angry. 'She took Julie right our from under our noses!' Kelly snapped spinning round on her heel starting to pace up and down the room.

'She came here first.' Kris said to which Kelly stopped and spun round to face them both again.

'What did she want?' Kelly asked walking back up to the desk.

'She was after information.' Cate explained.

'As well as wishing she was with us at the ship yard with Diane.'

'Why?' Bosley asked who had up until that point been quiet listening.

'She felt if she had been there with us she could have helped prevented a lot of things that happened.' Cate said running her hand over her injured shoulder as she thought about he shooting. Kelly lowered her eyes a little at the thought of the shooting also.

'I see, she thinks she could have handled it better?' Bosley asked.

'Who knows Bos, maybe...'

'Maybe she thinks she would have done a better job than one of us.' Kris threw into the mix of thoughts when the phone rang. Hitting the speaker box button Kris answered the phone. 'Townsend Associates.'

'Angels, Bosley?'

'All here Charlie, minus Julie of course.' Kris replied.

'Any news from the FBI Charlie?' Kelly asked sitting down on the armchair.

'Some Kelly, yes it would seem Annabelle couldn't handle the pressures of the Bureau.'

'What happened Charlie?' Cate asked crossing her arms across her chest as she listened.

'A drug bust went very wrong due to Annabelle's actions two agents were killed.'

'They dismissed her after that?' Bosley asked.

'No, she left before any further action was taken.' Charlie explained.

'But how did she manage to fool us all into believing she still worked for the bureau for so long?' Kris asked baffled by that in particular.

'It would seem the paperwork got a little lost on it way through being processed. This all took place just as Julie's case hit the headlines.'

'So Anna had someone mislay her papers for a while?' Kelly speculated.

'It's a theory the FBI are looking into Kelly.'

'Cate, how did Anna know so much about the shooting?' Kris asked she was obviously trying to put something together.

'I don't know Kris, the newspapers, getting a hold of the files when she was at the police station working Julie's case, could even have been through Julie during the countless amounts of interviews they had.'

'What are you thinking Kris?' Kelly asked tilting her head to one side.

'Well Anna has such a thing about having been with us at that time, like she wanted to be the savior or something, or at least that's what it sounds like. Could she be jealous of Julie?'

'Jealous?' Bosley questioned from where he now sat on one of the sofas.

'Well Julie's an Angel; we took her on before thinking of taking anyone else. It wasn't exactly a secret that Anna wanted to join us.'

'No but she had a future all set before her, there was no need for her to join us.' Kelly reasoned.

'Even so, if this was some weird way of being jealous or angry shouldn't she be spending more time directing her anger towards us?' Cate asked, the others in the room looked to one another without an answer.

'But why help Julie when she was being accused of murder if you intend to get her out of the way?' Bosley questioned to which again the room had no answers.

'All good questions.' Charlie began 'There is a phenomenon known as hero syndrome.'

'Hero syndrome Charlie?' Kelly looked to the speaker box perplexed.

'Yes it's when a person, in such a career as ours or other types such as firefighting, nurses etc that desire to be the hero of every situation. This can however cause these people to create dire situations that they alone can resolve.'

'I get it Charlie, like a firefighter starting a fire so that he can save the day and be the hero.' Kris explained.

'Exactly Kris. From what I am beginning to understand listening to you and my colleagues at the FBI it would seem that Anna is affected by this.'

'Sounds more dangerous than heroic.' Cate said lacing her fingers together as she leant forward onto the desk.

'It is Cate it can be deadly. I suggest you all find Anna and Julie as quickly as you can.'

'But where do we even start Charlie, we have no clue!' Kelly exclaimed.

'I would start with Julie's case and then work back from there, we may catch a break that way.'

'Or Anna may even call us.' Bosley suggested.

'I'll leave you to it Angels, should I receive any news I'll call you.' Charlie said as he disconnected the call.

'Ok, let's start with Julie's case then.' Kelly said sighing, getting up to go to the filing cabinet.

'That's not all though.' Kris said looking to Cate who raised her eyebrows back at Kris not sure where she was going with what she was about to say.

'What else could there be?' Kelly asked as she pulled the files out.

'Cate thinks Anna was the one who attacked her, to get the pages from the file.' Kelly's eyes widened with anger.

'You think or you know?' Kelly asked controlling her temper as she spoke. Cate watched her sister closely.

'I know.' Cate replied to which Kelly slammed the filing cabinet shut. The metallic slam ricocheted through Cate's skull making her squint her eyes to the pain, which did not help the headache. Not noticing what pain she had caused Kelly continued on in her rage.

'She attacks you in your home for a couple of sheets of paper we would and did get again and then she kidnaps Julie! That bitch!' Kelly yelled slamming the files down on top of the metal cabinet more loud noise, wonderful, Cate thought to herself.

'Calm down Kel, we'll find them.' Kris said a little surprised at Kelly's outburst.

'We just have to figure out where to start.' Bosley said just as the phone began to ring again. Cate hit the speaker box button answering.

'Townsend Associates.'

'This is Detective Martin.'

'Peter, Hi it's Kelly. Any news?' Kelly asked swiftly moving back towards the desk.

'I think so; we have a lead on Annabelle's car. It was spotted by one of our patrol cars about ten minutes ago heading down towards the docks.' Peter explained. 'Does that mean anything to you?' The Angels each looked to one another, Kelly and Cate's eyes locked. They knew what it meant only too well.

'Yeah Peter, it means something to us. We're on our way.' Kelly said.

'Alright, I'll be there with back up.'

'Thanks, we'll see you there.' Kelly replied as she disconnected the call.

'The shipyard.' Kris said aloud, it was after all what they were all thinking.

'Come on, let's get down there.' Cate said first standing up and grabbing her leather jacket from the back of the desk chair.

'Are you sure you want to go, we'll understand if you want to stay here.' Kris said standing, blocking Cate from leaving.

'I'm sure short stack, let's go.' Cate said with a deep breath nodding towards the door.

'Then you take this.' Kelly said picking up her purse and opening it removing Cate's gun. Cate looked at it and took a long controlled breath her jaw clenched.

'There are times sister I regret telling you things.' Cate said looking angrily at Kelly.

'Take the gun Cate.' Kelly ordered holding out the gun to her. Cate reached over taking the gun from her sister a look of thunder on her face. 'It's loaded.' Kelly warned. Cate checked the safety was on before she placed it within its small holster on to the back of her jeans at the small of her back covering it with her shirt and jacket.

'Let's go.' Cate said flatly controlling her anger as she walked past Kris and out of the office.

'Are you trying to piss her off?' Kris asked Kelly as they each grabbed their bags and followed after her.

'Maybe.' Kelly replied with a straight no non-sense expression on her face.

'I'll call Charlie and catch up with you there.' Bosley called after them as the Angels left the room.

Cate was sat in her car waiting for the other two to join her. The engine was purring although Kris could have sworn she heard it growl as Kelly got in. Once all in Cate put her foot down and peeled out onto the road to get to the shipyard and Julie.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8.**

The car was silent as the Angels sped along to the shipyard. Arriving Cate parked by the side of detective Martin's car that had arrived before them with a team of officers. Getting out of the car the Angels walked round to the front of his car to speak with him.

'Pleased you got here so quick.' Peter said looking up from the floor plans of the very shipyard the Angels knew all too well.

'Anything been seen or heard from inside?' Cate asked stood with her back to Peter and her team looking instead at the building ahead of them.

'Not heard but my sniper up on the neighboring roof there has spotted them both.' Peter explained as Cate's head snapped up to spot the sniper.

'Is Julie ok?' Kris asked.

'As far as we can tell she's fine. Ms. Drake seems to be the one moving around where as your friend from what we've seen is just sat on the floor.'

'So what's your plan?' Kelly asked.

'We try negotiating, try and end this quickly and quietly without incident if we can, we just don't know what's going on with Drake.' Peter explained.

'We'll find out.' Cate said sternly her attention locked again on the building that had been the main feature of her nightmares for so many sleepless nights.

'Excuse me?' Peter said turning to Cate's side.

'We'll go in, find out what's going on.'

'Need I remind you this woman is a former FBI agent and is most likely responsible for all of the attacks on you.'

'No you don't need to remind me but thanks.' Cate said looking the detective up and down then turning to Kelly and Kris she motioned toward the building with a nod of her head. 'Come on, let's figure this out.' Cate said starting for the building when Peter grabbed her arm to stop her, not a wise move for anyone. 'Problem detective?' Cate asked looking at her arm where he held her looking slowly up to meet his eyes.

'Yeah, do you honestly think I'm going to let all of you go in there alone?'

'No, but then we're not asking we're going.' Cate said standing to her full height snatching her arm from his grip. 'You want this done with as little incident as possible you let us try and bring her out.'

'What if you can't?' Peter asked standing to his full height an inch taller than Cate.

'Then you have your snipers.' Cate said looking up to where then gunmen lay. Thinking it over for a moment Peter then nodded in agreement.

'Fine, see if you can end it but we'll move if I think we need to, we've no idea how dangerous she might be.'

'It's likely she's killed one man already.' Kelly said standing beside Cate.

'Let's find out for sure.' Kris said standing with them looking at the building. Walking away from Peter the Angels headed for the single entrance point, the very door they entered last time they were here. Cate stopped in front of the shut door looking it up and down just breathing. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

'You sure you ready for this?' Kris asked quietly, Kelly beside her.

'As I'll ever be, come on let's go.' Cate determined took hold of the door handle slowly opening the door the Angels filed in closing the door quietly after them. Looking to one another Cate motioned for them all to split up Kelly going left, Kris right, and Cate straight down the middle. All leading off in their directions they each listened intently for Anna or Julie to speak. As they began to get closer, they all started to hear Anna's voice.

'It wasn't meant to happen this way, you must believe that Julie.' Anna said in a nervous ramble.

'Believe what Anna? I don't understand.' Julie said confused as she sat on the floor watching Anna as she paced around her, her gun in hand.

'Everything was planned, I was going to pull it all together again, and everything was going to be great.' Anna swiftly looked up towards the entrance of the building as she heard people moving around. 'Someone's in here.' She said as she wondered off in search of the intruder. Julie stayed sat where she was not wanting to tempt Anna's trigger finger, listening to her surroundings Julie could hear footsteps coming up behind her barely wanting to turn Julie very slowly turned her head, with relief she saw Cate coming towards her, unfortunately so did Anna. Before Julie could warn her or Cate could see it coming Anna, with a plank of wood in her hand from a broken crate, smacked Cate hard across her back sending down to the ground hard. The pain coursed through Cate's back as she lay on the floor doing her best to stay conscious and get up to her feet when she got a kick in the gut from Anna which flipped her onto her back.

'Cate, I'm sorry but you can't just keep sneaking up on me, this is what happens.' Anna stood with her hands on her hips looking down at Cate speaking to her like a teacher scolding a child.

'My fault obviously.' Cate quipped as she regained her senses pushing herself up onto her side looking over to Julie who had turned herself around now on her knees looking worriedly over to Cate. Cate then felt the cool metal of her gun press into the small of her back; Anna hadn't noticed it, which was good.

'I'd check you for a gun but from what I understand you're not packing these days. Can't say that I blame you after what you've been through.' Anna said in a supportive friendly manner. Cate confused began to get herself up to her feet. 'Please, don't get up Cate, not just yet any way.' Anna insisted, Cate stopped and sat with her arms looped around her knees.

'What's going on Anna?' Cate asked.

'I just needed some time to think.'

'And you needed to take Julie to do that?' Cate asked indicating towards Julie who was only a short distance from her. Anna turned to look at Julie, she seemed confused.

'What, I…this is all because of her don't you understand?' Anna's voice began to rise, across from where they were Kris and Kelly had met in the middle and was watching over what was going on from a distance ready to move should they need to.

'I don't understand none of us do, so explain it to us.' Cate practically begged. 'Why kill detective Martin and frame Julie for it?' Cate asked jumping straight in at the deep end. Julie's head whipped round to Anna a look of shock across her face.

'You! You're the one who framed me.' Julie forgot about keeping herself out of harm's way as she bolted for Anna, grabbing the lapels of her jacket and shaking her. Anna tried breaking Julie's grip which was vice like, pulling out her gun she raised it up towards Julie's head. Cate scrambled to her feet seeing the weapon.

'Anna don't!' Cate cried out just as Anna hit Julie in the face with the gun in her hand still. Julie fell away to the ground crying out in pain. 'Anna stop!' Cate pleaded circling around her stopping once she stood in front of Julie who was catching her breath on the ground using the back of her hand to the side of her face, Julie pulled her hand away to reveal the red smearing of blood from the gash she now had on her cheek, the gun had met with her cheek bone. 'Are you alright?' Cate asked Julie without turning to look at her.

'Yeah.' Julie simply said staying down where she was.

'I'm sorry Julie.' Anna apologized looking around at Julie behind Cate who still stood guarding her friend her arms raised to her sides the palms of her hands out to stop Anna from getting too close.

'How could you do that to me?' Julie asked tears of pain in her eyes.

'That man didn't deserve to live anyway after what he had done to your friend, Karen.' Anna began to explain.

'But you're a Federal Agent, you could have just helped have him sent to jail, not commit murder!' Julie yelled angrily.

'No she's not Julie.' Cate said slowly and quietly.

'No she's not what?' Julie asked.

'She's not in the FBI anymore, she was kicked out.' Cate explained her eyes locked on Anna.

'I was not kicked out!' Anna cried out grabbing a hold of Cate by her jacket. From across the room Kelly moved to rush to aid her sister when Kris stopped her.

'Wait Kel.' Kris said still watching Cate as she broke Anna's hold and pushed Anna away from her.

'Then what Anna, come on tell us.' Cate ordered beginning to lose her patience.

'I left. It wasn't for me there, I wasn't meant to be an agent.'

'Then what were you meant to be, aside from a murderer? Julie coldly asked hating every word this woman she had trusted said.

'I should have been an Angel!' Anna cried out as she turned away from Cate walking herself round in a circle in annoyance. 'I was meant to have been the next Angel, not you.' Anna cried pointing her gun towards Julie.

'What are you talking about Anna?' Cate asked trying to get Anna's attention and gun away from Julie.

'I should have been next. When Tiffany left I should have been asked to join the fold. Who is she to be an Angel; she's not even trained in any form of law enforcement.' Anna explained figuratively blowing Cate's mind Anna had lost it.

'That's not what's needed to be an Angel Anna and if you don't know that now, you'll never be an Angel and after what you have done you won't be one anyway. The fact is at the time Julie joined the team she needed us and we needed her but most importantly she needed us and we were able to help her and she has proved herself every day in every way imaginable, as a detective and as a friend.'

'I could have done that that could have been me! If I had been with the team Cate you would never have been shot, I would never have allowed that to happen.'

'Neither did Julie, she saved my life!' Cate yelled losing her temper with this crazy woman.

'Look at where we are Cate, look at where you're standing.' Anna smugly said as Cate looked around.

'I know all too well where we are Anna, I'm not likely to ever forget it am I?' Cate rhetorically asked.

'Look down to you feet Cate.' Anna said indicating toward the floor. Cate looked down, from across the room Kris and Kelly began to slowly move closer stopping when they heard Anna going on about looking at the surroundings.

'Oh God.' Kris said as she realised where Cate and Julie were.

'What is it?' Kelly asked worried.

'Look where they're stood Kelly, really look.' Kelly did as Kris directed, from their slight incline compared to Cate and the others they could see perfectly clearly what Anna was getting at, the ground was still stained.

'Cate.' Kelly whispered worried as she moved on ahead of Kris to get closer.

'You see it, don't you?' Anna asked her voice getting higher in pitch as she spoke with slight excitement. Cate looked down seeing where she stood the dark stain all around her feet that reached over towards where Julie still sat, she also had realised where they were in the building. Cate's jaw locked and her eyes darkened as she listened to Anna move around blithering on.

'What is this meant to prove Anna?' Cate asked controlled.

'Say it Cate, say where we are.' Anna continued tormenting. Cate's jaw twitched as clenched it.

'I don't need to say it Anna, we all know.' Cate answered back looking her coldly in the eyes.

'Don't you see I'm trying to help you? By facing this you'll be able to move and be better and stronger than ever!' Anna exclaimed.

'You think bringing me to place where I almost died is going to help me?' Cate asked narrowing her eyes at Anna as she spoke.

'Of course, I'm your friend Cate; I should have been your team mate, until she came along.' Anna said sneering at Julie.

'You crazy bitch.' Julie slowly stated.

'I am not crazy!' Anna screamed at Julie walking quickly up to her holding her gun out aiming it at Julie's chest.

'Hey!' Cate called out taking Anna's attention away again from Julie. 'You want a spot on the team, take mine.' Cate offered.

'What?' Anna spat out confused.

'You want a place on the team and I'm leaving anyway so take my spot, it's all yours.' Cate offered throwing her arms out before her thrusting her hands towards Anna. Anna was speechless, opening and closing her mouth like a goldfish.

'But you can't, you can't leave the team.' She eventually said.

'You sound like my sister.' Cate quipped keeping an eye on Julie who was also dumbfounded by what she had heard and she knew it was true, not just a ruse to get Anna off track to calm down the situation.

'But you have to be on the team. It's the golden team, you, me, Kelly and Kris. That's how it's meant to be, that's how it will be.' Anna demanded.

'No the golden team is whoever is on that team. The thing about being an Angel is you work together you're a family. That's why we're so strong. Many of us may leave and come back falling back into our roles but the best team is whichever one is together and working the case.' Cate continued on catching sight of Kelly and Kris from the corner of her eye. Anna was lost for words again trying to process what was happening as her grand scheme was crumbling away right in front of her, finding her anger again she spun back round to Julie.

'If you hadn't come along none of this would have happened Cate wouldn't be leaving, I wouldn't have killed that cop! I should have had you transferred to the main wing of that prison earlier than I did, had you killed when I had the chance.' Anna ranted waving her gun at Julie again who began to back away crawling along the ground having to stop herself when she came to the surfaces edge, below her dark cold water.

'You want to blame someone Anna.' Cate yelled getting the attention back to her. 'Blame me. I wasn't there when Julie joined the team, if I had been then Charlie wouldn't have hired her, then perhaps different roads would have been taken, I would have been there to remind Charlie that you wanted to work with us. We may not have ended up here in this place, I might not have ended up on the operating table being revived the three times I flat lined, I wouldn't have another scar to add to my body.'

'You see it is her fault!' Anna cried pointing her gun back at Julie. 'She's been nothing but poison since she became an Angel. She's not worthy of that title.' Anna coldly and slowly said as she pulled back the hammer on her gun leveling the shot that she wanted to take.

'Wait! Anna, if you shoot her we can't help you.' Cate cried out seeing the situation spiraling out of control, her gun still fastened in its place at the small of her back.

'You didn't help me to begin with; you left me on a path I hated.' Anna sneered keeping her focus on Julie. 'You chose her over me.'

'Because she needed us, you were on your way Anna, you had a bright and great future ahead of you, one that didn't need our involvement you were doing it all on your own.'

'But I didn't want to I wanted to be with all of you.'

'So what you decided to kill Julie and swoop in to fill her place to ease our grief?' Cate asked.

'It was all planned.'

'You were going to let Julie, an innocent, go to execution for a murder she didn't commit?'

'I wasn't going to let it go that far, I had it all planned, a fall guy that was more than believable to be arrested for the murder. I would have saved Julie and we would all be together again, Charlie would finally ask me to join you all and we'd be the best there ever was!' Anna gushed in a dreamy state.

'But that's not how the real world works Anna, quit dreaming. You've killed a man, a police detective, you've attacked me, kidnapped Julie and for what, how are you going to be the savior of this situation?' Cate quizzed Anna whose hand holding the gun began to shake; finally she let out a scream rushing up to Julie she pressed the gun into Julie's chest right to where her heart was pounding.

'You destroyed everything!' Anna screamed at Julie, who looked at her in fear and shock unable to move or speak.

'You want to shoot someone Anna, shoot me.' Cate called out angry. Kris and Kelly moved swiftly again getting to another closer position covered from sight by the crates littered around Cate and Anna. 'Right here Anna, right here!' Cate continued to yell anger pouring from her as she indicated with both of her hands to her heart. 'You want a spot on the team so badly come and take mine you crazy, ungrateful, good for nothing bitch!' Cate yelled, Anna whipped her head round to Cate her face red with fury. 'Come on, you're the great detective, better than all of us, you'll find a believable way out of this to save your own skin.' Cate continued to torment Anna, drawing her away from Julie. It was working as Anna brought her gun round pointing it towards Cate. 'What ever made you think we were friends any way? I could never stand you and you know that!'

'Don't say that, we're friends, we've always been friends, you only gave me a hard time because I was new, hazing me, teasing me the way you do with Kris.' Anna defended as she walked towards Cate using both of her hands to steady her gun.

'No there's a difference with Kris, she's my best friend, I love her like a sister. We may have had our moments of annoyance with each other but we always respected each other and worked well together. You and I Annabelle, we'll never have that.' Cate stood still watching Anna get closer and closer, she wasn't close enough, almost but not quite enough.

'No I remember our time together working together, we were great, we were family.' Anna pleaded her eyes beginning to glisten with tears.

'No Anna, we are family.' Cate said nodding towards Julie. 'You're not, and after all of this pain and upset you have caused us you never will be.'

'No, no I don't believe you. We can all work this out, Julie will forgive me, Charlie will welcome me.' Anna continued talking on stepping closer to Cate who watched her movement intently.

'No Anna, they won't, we won't.' Cate explained.

'What the hell is she playing at?' Kelly whispered to Kris never taking her eyes off of her sister.

'Trust her Kel, Cate knows what she's doing.' Kris said hoping to herself that she was right.

'You need help Anna, and the kind you need we can't give you.' Cate calmly told Anna.

'I don't need help; I just need to be an Angel!' Anna's temper rose again as she spoke through gritted teeth taking another step forward still holding out her gun towards Cate which was all Cate needed to make her move. In swift, fluid action with her left hand Cate forced Anna's arms down pointing her gun down to the ground whilst at the same time brought her right arm round her fist clenched as she punched Anna in the face knocking Anna off balance taking her completely by surprise. Cate followed the attack by pulling Anna forward bringing her knee up to connect with Anna's chest knocking the wind out of her and causing her to drop her gun which Cate kicked along the ground away from all of them. Pulling Anna up again to face her Cate brought round her left fist punching Anna hard in the face again this time knocking her down to the ground. Cate watched her for a moment but she didn't move from where she had fallen, looking over to Julie Cate stepped over Anna and walked to her friend.

'Come on, let's get out of here.' Cate held her hand out to Julie, helping her up to her feet. 'Kris, Kelly lets go, let the police pick her up.' Cate called out as she and Julie began walking away from Annabelle back up the ramp that lead away from her again they walked over the old blood stain that couldn't be washed away completely after Cate's shooting there months previous. Julie picked up Anna's gun as they went past it removing the bullet clip as she did walking slightly ahead of Cate. They both stopped when they heard the familiar clicking sound of the hammer of a revolver being pulled back.

'Don't turn your back on me, not again.' Anna called out to them as she slowly rose back to her feet having pulled her secondary gun from her ankle holster. Kris and Kelly turned hearing her voice but their sight line was obscured by crates they both began rushing forward to find a visual point.

'Put it down Anna.' Cate said before she turned to face her. 'Don't be even more foolish than you already have been.'

'It could have been wonderful; we could have been great, unstoppable.'

'But we won't be, you're going to jail, you're going to get the help you need.' Cate countered as she turned slowly to face Anna her hands down by her side which she slowly lifted to her hips. 'Put down the gun come out with us, peacefully. We'll help you any way we can won't we Julie.' Cate said turning her head ever so slightly so to speak over her shoulder to her fellow Angel.

'Of course we will, let us help you Annabelle, please.' Julie begged.

'You don't get to talk, you don't get to do anything except move toward me, drop the gun on the floor.' Anna ordered Julie who taking a steady deep breath did as she was told; dropping the gun and its clip she slowly walked past Cate back down to where Anna stood holding her gun on both of them. 'Kneel down right there.' Anna ordered Julie as she stood midway between Cate and Anna. 'This all started because of you, it can end with you to.'

'Anna, don't please.' Cate begged watching a sick feeling twisting in her stomach.

'You don't get to talk now, you just get to watch and should your sister and best friend make a move to stop me, you're next.' Anna called out so that both Kelly and Kris could hear her which they did stopping them where they were, a few feet from their original positions. Anna looked down to Julie who knelt in front of her, her hands held up, a look of fear and determination rolled into one across her face. 'Don't worry Julie, you won't feel any pain, I promise.' Anna said to Julie as she aimed her gun to her forehead.

'Anna I am begging you stop, don't allow this to happen, you can stop yourself.' Cate pleaded, she knew now there was no stopping Anna her eyes were glazed, steely even, there was no reasoning with her now, Cate knew what was about to happen and there was nothing she could do to stop it. The gun shot echoed through the building the only sound that could be heard afterwards was the crumpling of the body falling to the ground.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9.**

The world had gone dark for Julie, silence all around her. Then she heard someone else breathing, opening her eyes she found she was still alive, Annabelle wasn't so lucky as her lifeless body lay out before her, a bullet hole between her eyes. Julie look round over her shoulder to see Cate stood with her gun raised, she slowly lowered her weapon when her legs gave out from under her and Cate fell to her knees trying to catch a breath. Julie got up and rushed to her friend, kneeling down in front of Cate Julie put her hands on her friends shoulders, she felt them shaking.

'Cate?' Julie worried tried to get her friends attention.

'Yeah, I'm all right Julie just need a moment. You alright?' Cate asked with a slight smile looking up to Julie who in turn threw her arms around Cate's neck silent tears spilling over from her eyes. Cate looked over Julie's shoulder to Anna's body; closing her eyes she took a deep breath raising her gun free hand to rub Julie's back. Julie looked up as she hearing the clip clapping of Kris and Kelly's shoes as they ran to them. Seeing them both alive the relief was evident on both Kris and Kelly's faces.

'Are you alright?' Kris asked the first of the two to reach them. Julie broke away from Cate standing up to meet Kris who threw her arms around Julie holding her tightly.

'Fine, we're both fine.' Julie said as she returned the tight embrace. Cate picked herself up and walked over to Anna's body nudging her foot with the toe of her boot. She felt a hand run up her shoulder blade, turning she found Kelly looking at her worried, Kelly was about to say something when Cate just leant into her older sister wrapping her arms around her. Taken aback by this at first Kelly was surprised by her little sisters reaction, quickly snapping back to the moment Kelly raised her arms holding Cate tightly gently running her hand up and down her back. As the sisters broke apart the police burst in.

'Miss Garrett!' Peter called out.

'Down here detective.' Kelly called out not taking her eyes off of her sister as she turned back to look down at Anna.

'So where was your sniper?' Cate asked as Peter joined them kneeling down to look over Anna's body, seeing the bullet wound.

'I'm sorry; he couldn't get a clear shot. At least you were able to.' Peter smiled as he looked up to Cate.

'Yeah at least I could.' Cate muttered as she walked away from the scene past her friends and out of the building stopping outside by the side of her car to give a statement to the officer who had followed her. Back inside the building the rest of the Angels stood around watching over the police as they went about their work, they each gave statements, Julie's taking the longest. Once done Peter excused them from the building.

'Should we need anymore from you we know where to find you.' Peter smiled shaking hands with the Angels. The Angels turned and headed out of the building.

'Cate meant it didn't she?' Julie asked turning to Kelly. Kelly lowered her eyes to the ground.

'Is this what the pair of you have been arguing about?' Kris asked still stunned by Cate's revelation and yet somehow not surprised.

'Cate's decided to leave the agency and no matter what I say to her, she won't change her mind.' Kelly unhappily explained stopping a few feet from the door that led out of the building.

'I wish she had told us.' Kris's eyes glistened as she spoke.

'She was waiting for the case to be over first Kris, she wanted you minds on this not her, you know what she's like.' Kelly smirked slightly shaking her head knowing her sisters' stubbornness as well as her own. Kris looked over to Julie who had turned her back to her and Kelly looking back down to where the police were now covering up Anna's body.

'What are you thinking Julie?' Kris asked placing a supportive hand on her shoulder.

'That maybe Anna was right.'

'What are you talking about?' Kelly asked taking a hold of Julie's arm making her face them.

'Well maybe she was, if I hadn't have joined the team none of this would have happened, Cate wouldn't be leaving. Things would be better.' Julie folded her arms across her chest hanging her head as she spoke.

'Julie.' Kelly gently lifted her friend's face to look at her as she spoke. 'Don't ever say that, you're an important part of this team, this family. Anna was sick, you can't believe what she was saying trust us, you are not to blame for anything, well maybe partly to blame for your jail time but then like the rest of us Angels you're damned stubborn.' Kelly said with her signature wicked grin, making Julie smile and laugh a little as Kelly pulled her toward her into a hug. 'Come on, let's get that cut on your face seen to.' Kelly said as she kept an arm around Julie's shoulders leading the way out of the building Kris following after them.

'What about Cate though?' Julie asked when she spotted Cate in the distance leaning against the front of her black Mustang, Bosley now stood with her.

'You girls ok?' A worried Bosley asked as they approached him and Cate.

'We'll be just fine Bos, just going to get Julie checked over.' Kelly smiled as she lead Julie toward the waiting ambulance, Bosley followed after them leaving Kris and Cate.

'You good?' Kris asked looking to Cate unsure what to say to her next.

'Yeah, you?' Cate asked looking back up to Kris squinting slightly as the sun was beginning to lower to its afternoon position.

'Yeah.' Kris sighed as she walked over to Cate's side turning she, like Cate leant against the front of her car. Kelly jogged over to them breaking their silence.

'Julie's being taken in for a few stitches, I said we'd meet her there, Bosley's going with her.' Kelly explained.

'What about his car?' Cate asked pointing with her thumb over her shoulder to Bosley's car.

'I'll take it to the hospital for him.' Kris volunteered as she left the two sisters to get Bosley's keys from him.

'Everything ok?' Kelly quietly asked as they watched Kris walk away.

'I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.' Cate mused. 'Come on let's get going to the hospital.' Cate said as she stood straight again stretching out her back, wincing slightly from the forming bruises where Anna had hit her.

'You want me to drive?' Kelly asked smiling sympathetically. Cate smiled tossing her the keys as they crossed each other to get into the car. 'Wow.'

'What?' Cate asked confused looking over the roof of her car to Kelly.

'You're letting me drive.' Kelly smiled trying to lighten Cate a little.

'Yeah well enjoy it until I stop shaking then it's back in the passenger seat for as far as this car's concerned.' Cate shot back as she got into the car. The car journey was silent for a time when Kelly asked the question that had been bugging her to ask for the last few moments.

'How did Kris take the news of you leaving?' She asked.

'I thought you'd know that, I was working my way up to ask you.' Cate admitted.

'She didn't say anything?'

'Nope. How did Julie take it?'

'Not great, blamed herself a little.' Kelly explained to which her sister groaned and sunk down in her seat a little more. 'I talked to her.'

'Yeah but I'd better talk to her as well.' Cate propped her head on her hand as she spoke.

'You're still going to leave?' Kelly asked hoping that what had just happened might have just changed her sister's mind.

'I'm still leaving Kelly, I have to and don't say to me that I don't have to because for right now I do, I have to get away from all of this for a time.' Cate explained gesturing to the ambulance ahead of her and L.A. in general. Kelly's grip tightened on the steering wheel as her stomach twisted with emotions she wasn't ready to reveal just yet. 'Actually you kind of surprise me.'

'Surprise you, why?' Kelly asked confused, giving her sister a sideways glance.

'I was pretty sure you would be fuming after what happened between me and Annabelle back there.' Cate explained.

'I did wonder what the hell you were doing but Kris was right, you knew what you were doing. The outcome wasn't what any of us would have wanted but you saved Julie's life in there, you didn't do what you thought you might either.'

'What's that?' Cate asked whipping her head round quickly to Kelly, then wishing she hadn't. 'Ow.' Cate softly said rubbing her head slightly, the painkillers were wearing off.

'You didn't freeze, you carried on without thought of your own personal safety.'

'She was going to kill Julie.' Cate quietly said still massaging her temples.

'I know and I'm sorry you had to take a persons life but you saved a very important life to us all.'

'I know.' Cate sadly and quietly replied looking out the windscreen to the road ahead.

'If it makes you feel better we can yell at each other later.' Kelly smiled to her sister trying to lighten the mood as hard as it was to do. Cate laughed lightly.

'Yeah maybe, let me have some painkillers first and then we'll talk.' Cate smiled over to her sister as they arrived at the hospital.

* * *

Three days had passed since the shipyard and Anna's death. Charlie had given everyone a couple weeks off to recover from it all. Cate had handed in her resignation from the agency although Charlie didn't want to take it in the end Cate left him no choice as she left the official letter along with her ID card and license. She and Kelly were barely talking to one another after having another blow out argument over Cate's decision to leave, Julie and Kris did their best to try and patch up the sisters current state of relationship but to no avail. Cate was of the opinion that Kelly knew where she was if she wanted to see her and Kelly didn't want to know; if Cate was leaving Kelly wanted no part of it, she wouldn't support it.

Cate sat in her back yard, guitar in hand a tall cold drink of coke beside her. It was a gorgeous summer afternoon that she was enjoying it filled with music she loved. Kris pulled her Cobra into the drive, getting out of the car she headed up the drive to Cate's front door about to ring the bell when she heard the guitar playing, smiling Kris headed round the back of the bungalow. Opening the side gate Kris walked round the side of the home craning her neck round to see where Cate was in the garden. She found her sat in the sun on the patio playing away on her guitar, looking up Cate saw Kris and smiled, stopping playing and putting down the guitar she rose to greet Kris.

'Hey short stack, what brings you over to the dark side?' Cate joked knowing full well the tension that had grown with Kelly's mood.

'Well what Kelly doesn't know!' Kris laughed. 'How are you doing?' Kris asked in all seriousness.

'I'm doing fine Kris, really.' Cate offered a seat to Kris just opposite her on the patio. 'Honestly since leaving the agency it's like a great weight has been lifted from off of my shoulders, no more pressure, I kind of like it. No offense by the way.' Cate said afterwards hoping she hadn't just offended Kris or hurt her feelings, she would never want to do that to Kris, or Julie for that matter not even her sister, but that was another story.

'None taken, I understand Cate, really I do. You really want this though, you really want to leave?' Kris asked looking deeply into Cate's eyes which, Kris couldn't deny, had their glint back, it had been missing for the longest time.

'I'm really sure Kris, right now I can't be a detective and I don't know that I can be again.' Kris nodded silently understanding looking down to her hands. Tilting her head to one side Cate watched Kris. 'How is it this is the first time we've spoken about this?' Cate asked.

'I was just processing I guess, trying to figure it all out in my head, how I felt about it, then it occurred to me that it doesn't matter how I feel about it, it's your life and decision to make about it.' Kris smiled to her friend.

'Well it matters to me how you feel about it so tell me, are you angry and disappointed in me the way my sister is?' Cate asked with a wicked grin.

'Of course I'm not, I'm just sad to see you go, I'll miss you is all.'

'I'm not going to the other side of the world Kris, I'll only be a phone call away.' Cate reassured nudging Kris's knees with her hand.

'Where are you going to go anyway?' Kris asked realizing she had no clue where her best friend would be.

'You remember that friend of mine who was trying to get in contact with me?'

'Yeah Cally right?'

'Right, well I've bought her business from her.'

'You did what?'

'Well, she has a bar that she knows I have loved since I first went to it and well, she has come into some money and is going off traveling around the world for who knows how long. Cally offered me the bar at a very reasonable price and I took it.' Cate explained smiling from ear to ear.

'What about the motel?'

'I still have it, like I said it was a very reasonable deal.'

'Where's the bar?' Kris asked leaning back as she asked. Cate looked at Kris for a moment smiling before she answered.

'Nashville, Tennessee.' Cate laughed, even she saw the funny side of it. Kris laughed along with her.

'I suppose you'll be having your trucking buddies come down and join you on the stage?' Kris laughed.

'Maybe, I have a stage there and a great sound system. You gonna come down and perform one night?' Cate grinned as she offered.

'We'll see, maybe. What about Kelly, how does she feel about it?'

'Well, if she was talking to me I might be able to tell her but as we're not speaking right now, I have no idea how she feels about it.' Cate explained looking away from Kris for a moment before composing herself and facing Kris again. Kris could see the pain the feud was causing, Cate hated being at loggerheads with her sister even more so when she had exciting things going on in her life and her sister wasn't around to share them with her.

'So how are you going to handle both the motel and this new bar?' Kris asked keeping the subject on the exciting new venture Cate was to take.

'Well Ruth is coping just fine managing the motel but now I'll be able to head down there a lot more to check on things and catch up on the paper work in person rather than doing it all by post and phone.'

'And you're going to be able to run the bar all by yourself?'

'I can manage it Kris but I'm actually going to be having some help and I think it's going to be great as well.' Cate beamed as she spoke.

'Why who have you got to join you in this?' Kris asked smiling herself; Cate's excitement was infectious.

'Scotty, he will have finished college by the time the bar is up and running and he's coming to manage the bar with me.'

'With you?'

'Well if I'm called away anywhere I need someone I trust to mind the store whilst I'm away and Scotty has been studying business management and some law as well. Honestly Kris the ideas he has come up with are brilliant so when we're all up and running it's going to be awesome. Live music for as many nights as we can manage, make it family orientated until late night and just have fun and music all the time. We can't wait.'

'So when do you leave?' Kris asked solemnly knowing full well Cate would have to leave L.A. to make this all work.

'Middle of next week; I have a place set up to move into, and then it's just straight into the bar with some decorators and fixing it all up the way we want it.' Kris nodded taking this all in.

'So we have time to throw you a leaving party?' Kris smirked, Cate laughed shaking her head.

'You want to throw a party, any excuse right? Well fine why not, you can have it here.' Cate indicated to her home.

'What are you going to do with this place, sell it?'

'No, despite how I currently feel about it, L.A. is my home of sorts, at least I have a family here, I want to make sure for as long as I need it I have a base here.'

'You'd always have one of our places to stop at.' Kris suggested.

'Yeah, I would but there's nothing like your own space when you need it. No I'll just rent it out for a while, I have friends all over that would love to stay here and see some of L.A. so I think I'll use it for that.'

'You've really thought this all through haven't you?'

'I've had to Kris, I don't chose to do this lightly.'

'I know. Well I suppose if I'm going to throw this party you'd better give me some names and numbers.' Kris said running her hand through her hair.

'Why who do you want to invite?' Cate asked.

'Well I want to get Four-Leaf here and the other boys from that band of yours, you know from when we were out on the Cannonball Run.' Cate nodded understanding.

'I see, so you're going to perform with them?' Cate wickedly asked knowing full well that Kris could be a little shy to perform in front of her friends let alone in front of strangers.

'Well if you teach me a song I heard you play a while back maybe.' Kris smiled.

'Fine, actually this will be great Scotty is on his way over to here from the ranch so he'll be here in good time to join the celebration and help me pack up a few things.'

'Oh, speaking of things, I have something for you.' Kris suddenly remembered opening her purse. 'Well actually it's to return to you.' Kris took out the item and handed it to Cate who looked baffled as to what the item could be. Kris allowed the silver chain to spill from her hand, the pendant lying on top of the chain. 'With everything thing that's happened lately I've not been able to return it to you, now things have settled, and with you leaving well, it seems right that you have it back now.' Cate looked down at the silver St. Christopher that lay in her hand she smiled at it as she traced the line of the saint embossed on the pendant.

'Thanks Kris.' Cate held up the pendant a little closer to look at it. 'Kelly gave it to me, via Jill of course.' Cate laughed remembering the time well.

'I know, there's an inscription on the back of it.' Cate looked over to Kris her brow furrowed. 'You didn't know?'

'This is not the face of a person who knew that no.' Cate teased as she pointed to herself. Turning over the pendant Cate read the inscription. _'To my baby sister, stay safe and call me!' _Cate laughed. 'That's my sister for you always looking out for me.' Cate ran her thumb over the inscription before she the pendant on. 'Thanks Kris.'

'Have you spoken to Julie lately?' Kris asked changing the subject slightly.

'She was here last night with me hanging out, why what's wrong?' Cate knew when Kris was worried about something or someone.

'Has she said anything to you about Marcus?'

'Not much if I'm honest and I've not pushed her, she said that she's tried to call him but he's not returned her calls.' Cate explained as Kris listened nodding her head as she did.

'I was hoping they'd be able to sort out their problems and move on from them together.' Kris said with a distant look and a small smile.

'You were hoping for a wedding.' Cate teased as she stood up. 'Can I get you a drink?' Cate asked turning towards her patio door.

'Please.' Kris answered following Cate into the home. 'I wasn't by the way.' Kris pouted as Cate turned to look at Kris over her shoulder arching her eyebrow at her. 'All right maybe I was.' Kris giggled. 'They're such a great couple together!' Kris exclaimed as she sat up on Cate's kitchen counter watching Cate pour her a drink.

'I know but right now Marcus is smarting and licking his wounds like any typical man who got turned down and shut out.' Cate chuckled as she handed Kris her drink. 'Alright what are you thinking Munroe, I know you're planning something, I can hear the cogs in your brain moving!' Cate laughed as Kris playfully slap her across her shoulder.

'Well they'll both be here for the party so they'll have to face each other when there here because Julie's not one to really shy away from a confrontation.'

'True, so what after that?' Cate asked intrigued by the matchmakers plan.

'Well I think music heals everything.'

'So do I but that's not to say it will work with those two, this isn't a movie Kris.'

'If only it was then everything would be much easier.' Kris mused rolling her eyes. 'I've heard a few of your songs that you like playing and I think there's one from you catalogue back there that's just right for those two.' Kris excitedly said as she hopped down from the counter rushing over to Cate's piano, which had a stack of sheet music next to it, leafing through it all she eventually came across what she was looking for. 'This one.' Kris said handing it to Cate who looked over the song raising her eyebrows as she did smiling.

'All right short stack, we'll get the boys here and work it out.' Cate smiled walking back out to the garden Kris not far behind her once she had also pulled out the sheet music to the song she wanted Cate to teach her. The rest of their day was spent in Cate's garden laughing, joking and playing music.

It was dark when Kris decided it was time for her to leave. Cate walked her out to her car, the pair were still laughing and joking as they went. Kris opened her driver's side door and stopped turning to look at Cate her expression serious.

'You want me to talk to Kelly?' Kris asked tilting her head to one side as she did.

'Oh Kris,' Cate sighed laughing slightly as she shook her head. 'You can't fix everything for your Hollywood ending.'

'I can try though.' Kris smiled as she got into her car shutting the door she switched on the engine and reversed out of Cate's drive. Cate followed her on foot to the end of her drive as she went; waving her off Kris drove back toward her beach house. Cate laughed to herself shaking her head again and headed back in to her home settling down for the rest of the evening then realizing she needed to straighten up the spare room for Scotty who was in fact arriving tomorrow, rolling her eyes and groaning Cate went to her linen cupboard and started pulling out the fresh bed linen to straighten up the spare room for him.

'I hate domestic work.' Cate grumbled to herself as she went.

* * *

Kris stood out on the decking of her beach house, cup of coffee in hand she watched over the ocean as the morning sun shone down on it reflecting its beams that bounced along the waves. The surfers started appearing in the water and on the sandy beach waxing their boards and readying to go out on the water. Kris looked to her watch 9.45 Kelly would be here soon. Turning back into her home she went to the kitchen and freshened the water in the coffee pot and started to take bagels out from the bread bin and other foods from the fridge so when Kelly arrived she had their brunch ready for them. On cue at 10am there was a light knock on the door. Springing round to the door Kris opened it to reveal Kelly; dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt holding her purse in front of her she met Kris's welcome with a wide smile as she entered into the beach house.

'I hope you're hungry, I may have over done it on the food.' Kris said biting her bottom lip a little as she spoke.

'Typical Munroe thing to do.' Kelly teased as she dropped her purse down on to Kris's couch standing with her hands on her hips looking at Kris as she giggled at the plates of food set out on the kitchen table. 'You may have over done it a little, I'm not Jill you know!' Kelly laughed. Kris nodded laughing herself.

'Well grab whatever you want, I thought we could sit out on the deck as it's such a gorgeous day.' Kris enthused.

'Sounds great.' Kelly agreed moving into the kitchen picking up the plate Kris had put out for her. Loading up their plates the two Angels headed out to the decking taking a seat each they sat quietly enjoying their food watching over the people enjoying themselves on the beach.

'I spent the day with Cate yesterday.' Kris said as she placed her bagel back on to her plate as she reached over to her glass of orange juice, Kelly continued looking out to the ocean. 'She's leaving for Nashville middle of next week.' Kris continued, this news caught Kelly's attention as she whipped her head around looking at Kris. 'She's bought a bar from a friend and is going there to get it running; Scotty is going to be working alongside her. You should see how excited she is Kel, she has that glint back in her eyes.' Kris smiled sweetly to Kelly who placed her plate with the food still on it down on to the decking below her. 'Kelly please just call her or better yet go and see her. Fix this before she leaves.' Kris pleaded.

'It's not that simple Kris.' Kelly quietly said looking out to the ocean again.

'Yes it is you're just being stubborn, you both are. Honestly I could knock both your heads together you're so damned stubborn!' Kris exclaimed with a huff.

'Look Kris I know you're only trying to help but please, back off…' Kelly asked turning to her friend her eyes stern and yet weak at the same time.

'Why do you do this to yourself?'

'Do what?' Kelly replied taken aback by Kris's straightforwardness.

'Shut everything and everyone out when things get hard. I don't like the fact that Cate is leaving either Kelly about as much as I like it when Jill comes home for a short stay and then leaves again, it tears my heart every time she goes, it gets harder and harder.'

'I'm sorry Kris, I am but it's not the same.' Kelly sadly said turning in her seat to face Kris.

'How can it not be? Kelly no one will understand what you are feeling right better than Jill and me, trust me.'

'I do Kris you know I do, but I …' Kelly broke off from what she was about to say.

'But you what?' Kris asked her brow furrowed, she might just be getting somewhere with Kelly now.

'But I can't have her leave me, I don't want to be alone again.' Kelly admitted as a single tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. Kris got up from her seat and sat next to Kelly on the side of her seat.

'Oh honey, you're never alone, you should know that by now.' Kris said wrapping her arm around Kelly's shoulders.

'You don't get it.' Kelly sniffed.

'Then explain it to me.' Kris sat back over in her own seat opposite Kelly again so she could explain.

'I just want a family; my family to stay put to not leave me. I know it's selfish but I just want my family with me not hundreds of miles away in another state but close.'

'But you have family here Kel, we're here for you.' Kris explained reaching over to Kelly gripping her knee.

'But it's different with Cate, I have a connection with her I never thought was possible to have with another person, I don't want that to fade.'

'It won't Kel, I promise you it won't.'

'You can't promise me that. Don't you feel it with Jill?'

'Of course I do we're sisters Kel, just like you and Cate are, it's a blood connection that you're feeling.'

'And when Jill's away for the length of time she's away for your connection is still strong?' Kelly asked not believing it could be.

'Kelly it's as strong as we ever want it to be but we have our own lives, we can't live out of each others pockets all the time, we'd drive each other crazy!' Kris joked. 'Kelly don't let this be the reason you distance yourself from your sister, it's not worth it, believe me it really isn't. One of the great things about Jill being a globe-trotting racing driver is that I get to see a lot of the world when I go out to visit her. Now you'll have somewhere to go when you see Cate, the time you spend together then will be even more precious to you both, it always is to me and Jill the difference is when you want to see Cate or hear from her you just have to pick up a phone, I on the other hand have to consider what country she might be in and what the time differences are it's a loving complicated mess trust me.' Kris smiled to which Kelly returned.

'She's still giving up doing something she is great at.'

'But she's not happy Kelly not at the moment and who can blame her after Diane and Kreeg.' Kris said a shooting look of anger and pain flashing through her eyes. 'Kelly we don't know what may happen in the future, for all we know Cate might come back to the agency until then she needs you support, she is dying to tell you about the bar in Nashville I can tell, fix this go and talk to her.'

'I can't Kris, I just can't.' Kelly turned again in her seat to look back out to the ocean. Kris was about to say more when Kelly stopped her. 'Please Kris, just let it go.'

'I can't do that either Kelly, look we're having a leaving party for Cate on Saturday, so many people are coming including Four-Leaf and those others guys that played in that band Cate sang with on the Cannonball Run, Scotty will be there, Marcus. Come to the party Kelly it will mean everything to her, please.' Kelly looked down to her hands as another tear dripped from her chin.

'I'll think about it.' Kelly quietly said before she shook her head shaking away the conversation, the sadness. Kris gave up at least Kelly thinking about it was better than nothing although she knew deep down Kelly wouldn't be there.

* * *

Cate sat waiting in the arrivals lounge for Scotty to arrive, she kept checking her watch every three minutes getting more and more impatient for him to walk into the lounge. Finally at the time he was meant to arrive the doors opened and people started flooding through the doors. Cate stood looking over the crowd trying to spot her little brother, she couldn't stop the smile on her face, and she was so excited to see him again.

'Cate!' A familiar male voice shouted out. Cate turned to her right looking across the crowd seeing him wave like a loon at her. Laughing Cate rushed over to him throwing her arms around him as he picked her up spinning round on the spot holding her tightly excited himself to be back with his sister. 'I thought I'd never get through here, they took for ever to taxi the plane in.' Scotty explained as he released his sister.

'Well you're here now that's the most important thing, have you got all of your luggage?' Cate asked looking around him for suitcases or bags. 'Yeah, I've got everything come on let's go!' Scotty excited started pulling Cate along like an eager school kid.

'What are you so excited about?'

'I've never seen your place before remember and when are Four-Leaf and the others arriving?' Cate had managed to get a hold of Scotty on the phone last night to double and triple check times so filled him in on all of the party news which excited him even more.

'Four-Leaf and the others should be arriving tomorrow afternoon sometime, thankfully they're not bringing their rigs, I don't have room for those as well on my drive.' Cate laughed as she and Scotty walked out to the front car park to her Mustang. Loading in his luggage they got in to the car and began the drive back to Cate's home.

'So…' Scotty began, Cate could tell from his tone he was about to ask about Kelly. 'How are things between you and Kelly?' Cate smiled a little to herself as she answered.

'We're still not talking to each other.' Cate said as she turned a corner.

'You're not budging then?' Scotty asked.

'Why would I need to budge?' Cate asked straight away on the defensive.

'Why not if Kelly won't?'

'Because Kelly wants me to stay here and not leave the agency that's why I can't budge.' Cate explained as her brother nodded his head, he had heard all of this before but thought he'd try again.

'Right. So is Marcus coming to this shin dig?' Scotty quickly changed the subject.

'Yes and so is Julie so Kris has this grand Hollywood musical idea of how to get the pair of them back together.' Cate laughed slightly as she explained to her brother what Kris wanted to do and have happen.

'You think it will work?' Scotty managed to say after he calmed down from laughing so hard with his sister over the plan.

'Oh I don't know but it's worth a try, Kris's plan may be overly romantic but she has a point they are a great couple it would be a shame if they didn't work it all out.' Cate said calming down herself as she answered seriously.

'When will Kris be over, today?' Scotty eagerly asked, again Cate smiled to herself knowing full well that he had a huge crush on Kris ever since he had first met her.

'Kris has invited us over to hers this evening for dinner, Julie should be there to so keep it to yourself about the plan for the party, ok?' Cate said in a warning tone but with a wide grin to her brother who began to laugh again. 'Ok?'

Cate said louder of his and her own laughter whilst poking and shoving her brother with her free hand from the steering wheel.

'Ok, ok. I'll keep it quiet I promise.'


	10. Chapter 10

_**Shorter chapter than usual...Sorry about that! I think the next chapter will be the last for this tale...I know it is, I'm itching to start the next one!**_

_**Enjoy and please R&R as usual, you know I love it when I know you're reading and enjoying!!**_

_**AJ5 ;-)**_

* * *

**Chapter 10.**

Cate spent the entire day with her little brother, showing him the sights around her home and where she used to work down past several beaches then back to her home where they started on packing up some of Cate's things for the move to Nashville. They' stopped for a while as they began sifting through photo's which Cate had to explain to Scotty where they were taken and sometimes who was in the shot.

'Why don't you call her, ask her to join us at Kris's?' Scotty asked reading his sister's mind as she fell silent whilst they looked through photographs they were meant to be packing away, several included Kelly but one in particular stood out to Cate, taken when the sisters weren't paying attention to the camera. Just a simple shot where the pair were laughing and enjoying the company of each other. Cate looked up to her baby brother after a moment and slowly shook her head.

'No, I don't think so; we're just not in the best place right now.' Cate smiled a little to her brother as she put the photo away in the box all photo's framed or not were going into.

'One of you needs to make the move to fix this before you leave.' Scotty continued.

'Yeah but not tonight OK' Cate said as she got up from where she sat on the floor by Scotty, ruffling his hair as she went passed him towards the kitchen. 'You want a drink?' She asked avoiding any further conversation.

'Sure.' Scotty replied taking the photo back out of the box and slipping it into his shirt pocket before he got up to join Cate in the kitchen. 'Got any snack food, I'm getting hungry doing all this hard labor.' Scotty joked as Cate laughed.

'Sure, chips and all that great stuff is in the cupboard beside the fridge.' Cate pointed out as she poured two sodas for her and Scotty who busied himself pulling out the right mix of snack food chips and cookies, choc-chip variety.

'Don't fill up too much on all of that we still have dinner at Kris's tonight.'

'All right mom!' Scotty teased nudging his sister as he passed her back in to the lounge. 'So you like the piano then?' Scotty said as he munched through a mouthful of chips.

'Yeah I love it; it's going with me. Which reminds me I need to talk to Four-Leaf and the boys when they get here tomorrow about that.' Cate said making a mental note of all the things she needed to get done in a short space of time.

'Cheap removal men huh?' Scotty said over his shoulder as he leafed through the sheet music on Cate's coffee table. 'This going to be the set list?'

'Maybe, Kris wants to sing a song and that's the one she wants me and the boys to perform for Julie and Marcus.' Cate explained as she looked over the sheet music with him pointing out the song Kris had chosen for Julie as she sat on the couch behind him where he sat on the floor.

'You know that one would work out nicely for your sister as well.' Scotty pointed out.

'That hadn't exactly escaped my notice either but as I doubt Kelly will be there; well she'll have to hear it another time won't she.' Cate said smiling to Scotty. 'How's mama, you've hardly said?' Cate asked changing subject to the other most important woman in her life.

'You didn't ask.' Scotty smiled teasing his sister who smacked him across the shoulder smiling as she did. 'She's fine, ecstatic actually since hearing your news.'

'I bet she is.' Cate glumly said grabbing a handful of chips from the bag Scotty was hogging to himself.

'Give her a break Cate, she was scared, we all were. You going back to the agency didn't help.'

'Yeah, well mama got her wish, I've left and now she's happy.' Cate sarcastically said picking up her drink.

'You chose to leave Cate, don't blame mama.' Scotty said a stern tone in his voice.

'I'm not blaming her Scotty, but mama didn't make things any easier.'

'I know, sorry.' Scotty apologized wrapping his arm around his sister's leg. Cate chuckled lightly as she patted his head.

'It's all right.'

'Do you regret your decision?' he asked as he turned to face Cate leaning against the coffee table.

'Every day that passes where I realise that I'm not an Angel anymore I suppose I regret that, the worst part will be when one of them gets hurt I wasn't there to help them.'

'That could happen even if you were there.' Scotty pointed out; finished with the chips he put them on the table behind him, taking his drink in its place.

'I know, it's just a thought I will have to deal with, but for right now, it's the right decision, the safest one.' Cate nodded solemnly.

'Well, mama's pleased but she's worried about you still.' Cate laughed out loud at this leaning her head back on the back of the couch as she did.

'Why now?' Cate asked after she had calmed down a little.

'She's worried how it will affect you and Kelly and your friends here. She knows how close you are to the team. Mostly she worried about you and Kelly.' Scotty explained and Cate could tell he was worried about the same thing. Leaning forward Cate put her hands on to Scotty's knees squeezing them slightly.

'You don't need to worry about me and my sister, we'll work this out, we always do.' Cate said as she got up heading for the bathroom. 'Besides, I'm only got to be in Nashville, it's not like I'm joining Jill in Europe or you know somewhere else I might not return from.' Cate threw a smile to her brother as she looked at him over her shoulder winking at him. 'I'm going to grab a shower, before you do and use all my hot water and get ready to go to Kris's.'

'Fine, I might take a run as you're doing that.' Scotty called back to her as she entered into the bathroom turning the shower on. Coming back out she looked at her brother slightly confused.

'You're going out for a run?' Cate asked folding her arms across her chest.

'Yeah, after that stuff I've just eaten and the flight, I could do with a run.' Scotty smiled standing up. Cate had a feeling he was up to something but nodded and turned waving her hand as she went.

'Fine, I'll see you in a bit, don't be too long.' Cate called out as she shut and locked the bathroom door. 'And take the spare key!' She yelled to him.

'Yeah, sure, ok!' Scotty called back going into the spare room to get changed into his running gear, taking the photo from his shirt pocket he wrote a note on the back and slipped it into his sweat pants pocket then scribbled down address he tied his sneakers, grabbed the spare key from the hook and left.

Scotty ran for a while stopping every once in a while to get directions, he knew Cate didn't live far away from where he wanted to get to. Finally he made his destination, taking a moment to catch his breath he walked up to the front door, and pushed the button for the doorbell to ring. After a few moments the door was opened.

'We need to talk.' Scotty said as Kelly held the door open for him to enter in, a little surprised to find him on her doorstep.

A few hours later Cate, with Scotty pulled up outside Kris's beach house.

'Nice.' Scotty said with awe dressed in a short-sleeved casual white buttoned down shirt and dark blue jeans, the tips of his black cowboy boots sticking out from under his jeans.

'Not bad huh? They had a nice job done too on the remodeling after the fire here a while back. You can hardly tell there was a fire here.' Cate explained as she stood next to her brother pointing things out about the home. She wore her blue jeans with white t-shirt that had a dark blue print on it of a surfer taking a large wave her feet poking out from under her jeans as she wore her flip-flops.

'You two gonna stand there gawking at the place all evening or are you coming up?' Kris called down to them from the decking above their heads.

'You see baby brother; this is why I love coming here, the hospitality.' Cate teased indicating towards Kris.

'Yeah whatever Fox, get up here, Julie's trying to bar-b-q and it's hilarious!' Kris laughed with a wicked grin.

'Hey! I heard that!' Julie called from the hidden side of the beach house.

'Come let's get up there before they start another fire.' Cate joked leading the way for her brother. Joining Julie and Kris on the decking by the BBQ Julie turned to Cate putting an arm around her neck hugging her whilst poking at the coals that were now beginning to flame up nicely. Kris threw her arms around Scotty giving him a big hug then introducing him to Julie, as the two had never met face to face.

'Nice to meet you on this side of the bars.' Scotty teased as he shook Julie's hand who rolled her eyes scowling at Cate.

'I see you share the same sense of humor as your sister.' Julie said then playfully shoving Cate who stood by the BBQ prodding at it with the tongs.

'Hey! Look, how about this, Scotty you make up for it by cooking up the BBQ.' Cate offered on her brother's behalf who was happy to take over.

'Shame Danny isn't here, his BBQ was fantastic.' Kris gushed remembering Scotty and Cate's older brothers cooking.

'It runs in the family Kris, in fact I'd say mine was better.' Scotty smiled smugly.

'I'll remember to tell him that when we next speak.' Cate teased as she sat down with Kris and Julie just off to the side from where Scotty was cooking.

'So how are the plans for the party coming?' Julie asked looking to Cate.

'No use asking me, Kris is the party planner for this one, I'm just supplying the venue and the band. Four-Leaf and the others arrive tomorrow by the way.' Cate replied looking at Kris when she mentioned Four-Leaf.

'Who are they?' Julie asked confused.

'Old friends of mine that Kris met when we were running the Cannonball with Jill and Kelly.'

'Looks like I miss out on all the fun.' Julie teased with her wicked grin.

'Not everything, just most things.' Kris teased back being rewarded with a nudge to her knee from Julie's foot.

'So you're definitely going to go then?' Julie asked tilting her head to one side her piercing blue eyes dulling a little with sadness as she asked.

'Afraid so Julie, it's just time to move on.' Cate smiled warmly as she spoke.

'At least for a little while.' Kris said looking across to Cate, hoping that her friend would come back sooner rather than later.

'We'll see. I need, well we need.' Cate corrected herself looking to her brother who being masked in the smoke of the BBQ. 'To get the bar up and running and moving along before we can really head off for any vacations or visits, you might just have to come to us.' Cate said with a slight chuckle.

'What about Kelly?' Julie asked bringing up the obvious ghost in the room. Cate leaned back in her seat propping her feet up on the strut in front of her sighing deeply.

'I don't know Julie, I'd like things to be settled between us before I leave and I know we're as stubborn as one another but she just won't see reason or tell me what's really bothering her about me leaving.'

'What do you think the reason is?' Kris asked knowing full well what the reason was but didn't want to break her trust with Kelly.

'That I'm leaving without her, that I'm leaving her on her own.' Cate explained with a heavy heart, Scotty placing a supportive hand on his sister's shoulder as she did. Cate looked up to her brother smiling appreciatively.

'But she has us here and other friends.' Julie reasoned.

'Yeah but it's not the same. How long before you decide you've had enough Julie and want to try a career in something else, maybe something safer or the time when Kris you want to go off will Jill. What happens when you meet someone and want to settle down?'

'Who's to say we won't still work for Charlie even if we do meet someone?' Julie countered.

'Perhaps.' Cate answered smiling knowingly.

'I think this thing is now ready for the food to be thrown on.' Scotty said breaking the thoughtful silence. Kris laughed as she cheered a little getting up from her seat to retrieve the food from indoors.

'Are you going to be this organized for the party?' Cate called out after her.

'Of course, everything is organized and just has to be picked up tomorrow and Saturday morning before we start.' Kris explained as she brought out a large plate with burgers, bacon and sausages stacked on it. 'Here you go Scotty.' Kris passed the plate to the chef. The rest of the evening passed without incident but a lot of laughter and fun for the friends who ended up on the beach itself with a Frisbee. Scotty, having taken off his boot, and Cate on one team against Julie and Kris who both felt hard done by, as Scotty and Cate were both taller than they were.

'There's nothing we can do about us having superior height genes in comparison to you two short asses.' Cate teased and for her jibe was tackled around the waste by Kris throwing them both into the breakwater of the ocean. Julie and Scotty stood just in front of them away from the water laughing hard as Kris and Cate both laughing and flopping their arms up and down to shake off the excess water both kneeled in the water that continuously kept rolling in and out. Cate looked to Scotty catching his attention and nodded towards Julie who wasn't paying any attention to him Scotty in fluid movement swept Julie off of her feet and rushed with her in his arms into the water, Julie screaming with laughter and threats all the way until he dropped her in the water that was up around his waist. The group continued their time in the water having a huge water fight.

From a distance away Kelly watched over of her friends and family enjoying themselves, she wanted to join them, wanted to crash into the water and dunk Scotty just as Julie now was but she couldn't bring herself to, she couldn't see past her own stubborn self. Kelly looked down to the photo in her hands, the one Scotty had left with her earlier that day as he left her home after their long talk, turning the photo she again read what he had written. Smiling and shaking her head she placed the photo back onto the passenger car seat as she got in the car, turning the engine on Kelly took another long look down at the water smiled and drove back home.

The following morning Cate was woken with such a shock she literally fell out of her bed. Loud continuous banging came from her front door.

'What the hell is that?!' She yelled as she stormed out of her bedroom, Scotty stood in the doorway of his room yawning and scratching his head.

'The door.' Scotty answered as Cate stormed passed him dressed in her cotton pajama bottoms and white vest top. Ignoring her brother Cate continued storming to the door.

'What!' Cate yelled as she swung open the door.

'Catey girl!' Four –Leaf called throwing his arms in the air excited to see his friend as the rest of their band mates and friends were unloading the truck they had driven down in.

'Four-Leaf, do you know what time it is?' Cate asked still annoyed.

'A little after ten darlin' Four-Leaf said in his sweet smooth Irish accent. Cate looked at him stunned.

'After ten!' Cate repeated shocked, she hadn't slept in that late in ages.

'Where are we setting up the gear?' Four-Leaf oblivious to Cate's reaction or what she was wearing.

'Around back in the yard.' Cate pointed over her shoulder.

'Right-o.' Four-Leaf cheerily said before he whistled to the rest of the band. Cate coming back to attention took a hold of Four-Leaf's arm.

'Four-Leaf wait, bring the gear inside the party isn't until tomorrow.' Four-Leaf smiled a wide smile nodding and jogged over to the rest of their friends grabbing his guitar case and leading the way back into Cate's home. Cate went to the kitchen switching on the coffee machine she'd prepared before she went to bed the night before.

'Scotty!' Cate heard Four-Leaf call out followed by slapping of hands on backs.

As the rest of the morning passed Four-Leaf and the band set up whilst Cate and Scotty got washed and dressed, Cate managing to fit in a phone call to Kris to let her know the band had arrived and that it was time to now rehearse.

'So you're sure you want to do this song luv?' Four-Leaf asked Kris as they all sat around with instruments in hands and microphones set-up.

'I'm sure Four-Leaf, this song means a lot.' Kris smiled looking over to Cate who wasn't paying attention at the time; far too busy tuning guitars with Scotty. Four-Leaf followed her look then nodded understanding.

'All right then let's run it through, work it all out.' Four-Leaf smiled. The group rehearsed for the next few hours stopping when Kris noticed the time.

'Whoa, look at the time! I'm going to be late!' Kris announced hopping over cables and legs as she rushed to grab her purse and jacket on the chair by the front door.

'You know she hates it when you're late.' Cate teased with a wicked smile propping her guitar in its stand as she got up to see Kris out.

'Who?' Scotty asked.

'Kelly.' Kris and Cate said in unison. Scotty nodded his head as he turned his attention back to his guitar.

'Any messages?' Kris asked Cate as she threw on her denim jacket. Cate looked to Kris with a smirk her eyebrow raised. 'Didn't think so.' Kris answered rolling her eyes as she opened the front door walking out to the drive. Cate sighed following her friend out of the house.

'Kris wait. Tell Kelly I'd really love for her to be here tomorrow, really.' Kris smiled nodding.

'I'll tell her.' Kris got into her car turning the engine she reversed as quickly and carefully as she could out of the drive and headed off to meet Kelly, Cate stood at the mouth of her drive waving her friend off before turning and walking back into the house with the others. Walking back into the house Cate looked over her friends and brother and smiled tomorrow was going to be fun, if she was lucky her sister would be there to enjoy it with her, Cate smile fell as she thought of this.

'I doubt it.' Cate quietly said to herself.

'You doubt what darling?' Four-Leaf asked over hearing.

'Nothing Four-Leaf come on; let's go through the set again.' Cate put on a smile took hold of her guitar again and sat with the band starting through their set all over again until it was right, well at least right enough for them.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11.**

The following morning Cate's home was a bustle of movement, Cate with her brother and friends set up a stage for them in the back yard whilst Kris was organizing tables chairs out on the patio against the back of the bungalow wall.

'Alright, let's test everything.' Cate said to the band once they had the stage set and the instruments and amplifiers. The band took their positions behind their instruments and microphones. 'Well what shall we play to test?' Cate asked laughing as she watched Four –Leaf dance around in a circle get untangled from his microphone cable.

'Knock, knock!' Julie called as she came round the side of the home to the back garden.

'Now that sides like the opening of a song!' Four-Leaf called out smiling wickedly to Cate who knew exactly what he was talking about. 'Follow us boys.' Four-Leaf announced to the band as he and Cate started playing.

'_If I knew you were comin' I'd've baked a cake  
baked a cake, baked a cake  
If I knew you were comin' I'd've baked a cake  
Howd-ya do, howd-ya do, howd-ya do  
Had you dropped me a letter, I'd a-hired a band  
Grandest band in the land  
Had you dropped me a letter, I'd a-hired a band  
And spread the welcome mat for you_

_Oh, I don't know where you came from  
'cause I don't know where you've been  
But it really doesn't matter  
Grab a chair and fill your platter  
And dig, dig, dig right in…'_

Cate and Four-Leaf continued through the song whilst Kris, Julie and Scotty who for once didn't know the song the band was playing fooled around dancing in front of the stage then continued setting out the tables and chairs. Four Leaf and Cate had to stop the song once fits of laughter prevented them from going any further after the instrumental break which sounded very impressive like a rag-time band.

'You guy's really do play a little bit of everything don't you?' Julie asked laughing along with everyone else.

'We certainly try to luv.' Four-Leaf agreed jumping down from the small height of the stage.

'Four-Leaf this is Julie Rogers.' Kris introduced throwing an arm around Julie's shoulder as she did. Four-Leaf held out his hand to shake Julie's then kissed the top of her hand.

'Finally a fiery red headed Angel, charmed.' He smiled and winked. Julie laughed a little embarrassed, blushing slightly.

'Easy there you little leprechaun, Julie's spoken for.' Cate smiled grabbing Four-Leaf by his collar and pulling him away just as he went to kiss Julie's hand again.

'Marcus is coming tonight?' Julie asked slipping her hands nervously into her back jean pockets.

'Yeah he'll be here, don't worry Julie, everything will be fine.' Cate assured as she jumped down from the make shift stage.

'Have you heard from Kelly?' Julie asked as the pair walked into the house through to the kitchen.

Cate laughed a little at Julie's question as she took glasses down from the cupboard.

'No, my sister hasn't been in contact for a while, I don't think I'll be hearing from her much before I leave or after either…' Cate smiled motioning towards a glass offering Julie a drink which she nodded toward accepting whilst she continued talking about Kelly.

'Have you tried calling her? A phone works both ways Cate.' Julie pointed out taking the cold drink Cate handed her.

'I know that, I also know that I left Kelly several messages after our last argument and nothing so I'm just letting her be, she'll come around when she's ready and wants to.' Cate shrugged walking out of the kitchen back to the back yard where she heard her name being called from. Julie watched her leave sighing heavily as she did as Kris passed Cate walking into the kitchen.

'What's up?' Kris asked opening different cupboards hunting for something.

'Kelly.' Julie simply said as she sighed, Kris nodded understanding as she shut another cupboard and turned to face Julie leaning back against the kitchen unit.

'She's a stubborn one that's for sure.' Kris admitted of her close friend whom she would call family.

'Have you spoken to her?' Julie asked sitting up on the kitchen bar, Kris nodded as she began to answer.

'Yeah I've spoken to her, pleaded with her but she's not listening to me either. Have you tried?'

'Yeah but it's like a brick wall talking to Kelly sometimes when her mind is set and then she changes the subject.' Julie explained as she ran her hands up and down her thighs.

'Tell me about it, they're as bad as each other when it comes to doing that.' Kris smirked.

'You talking about my sister and her older sister?' Scotty asked as he entered the room and conversation.

'That obvious huh?' Julie asked as Scotty stood be side her leaning onto the kitchen bar.

'I spoke to her as well but it doesn't look like it worked either.' Scotty explained sadly. 'I would have liked to have had those two speaking again before we left. After these last few months I would have liked Cate to have had that at least.' The two Angels listened somberly to Scotty.

'What did you say to her?' Kris asked.

'Only that Cate wasn't going to be that far away and that for right now she is doing what is best for her, that Kelly needs to understand and accept that. That Cate isn't running out on her, far from it in fact.' Scott said with a wide smile.

'What do you mean by that?' Kris asked looking to Julie seeing that there was more to what was going on behind the scenes than they knew of.

'You should see the place Cate has bought out there to live in. It's gorgeous, a little way out from the bar but I think that's the point. It's an old farm house that's been remodeled and updated, it's pretty big room enough for everyone.' Scotty enthused.

'How much hazard pay does Cate get!?' Julie joked.

'So are you living there with Cate Scotty?' Kris asked between laughs.

'Until I find my own little place yeah, but Cate says she's in no rush to kick me out.'

'That could change in a hurry.' Julie teased nudging Scotty as she did.

'Yeah better watch yourself Scotty or Cate will toss you out on your ear.' Kris warned with a wide smile.

'May be.' Scotty agreed laughing as his expression changed his thoughts drifting. 'Do you think they'll work it out though?' Scotty asked the Angels, as they knew Kelly better than he did.

'Oh Scotty, I wish I knew.' Kris admitted as she shifted her weight where she stood. 'It's up to them now.'

'Well, Kelly any way.' Julie threw in which Kris and Scotty agreed with by silently nodding.

'It all looks very serious in here.' Cate quipped as she walked into her kitchen.

'Not serious just wondering.' Scotty explained as she put his arms around his sister's neck from behind her.

'What are you wondering?' Cate asked even though she had a pretty good idea what was being talked about.

'Whether or not Kris should sing more than one song.' Julie came out with. Both Scotty and Cate looked from Julie and the to Kris with a wicked smile.

'Now that's a good idea.' Cate mused with Scotty looking to her brother to tease Kris agreeing with Cate.

'Yeah, I think there's a few more songs you could choose from.' Scotty agreed smirking. 'I'll go talk to Four-Leaf and the boys.' He said backing out of the kitchen back towards the back yard.

'Scotty.' Kris called out in a warning tone looking to Cate to stop him to which her friend only looked back shrugged and began to laugh. 'You're no help at all. Scotty, get back here!' Kris called out again chasing after him.

'You'd think Kris would be happy to sing a few more.' Julie said as she slowly followed after Kris.

'You'd think.' Cate replied staying where she was in the house as the others went back outside. Turning Cate looked over to her lounge and kitchen. 'I'm going to miss this place.' She said aloud to herself as her eyes rested on her shelf of framed photographs. Walking over to them she picked up one after the other placing each one down in between. There were images of Cate with her brothers, her niece and sister-in-law, with her mother, the Angels and Bosley and several with Kelly. Picking up one in particular Cate stood looking at it for the longest time.

'Are you going to call her?' Kris asked coming back into the room.

'Did you catch hold of Scotty?' Cate countered as she put the picture down again.

'Don't avoid my question Cate.' Kris sighed. 'Are you going to call her?'

'Today?' Cate asked turning to her friend with a look of disbelief.

'If not today before you leave.'

'Which is tomorrow.' Cate pointed out which was news to Kris.

'So soon! I thought you weren't leaving until the middle of the week.'

'Plans change and some things have come up with my contractor and decorators, I need to be in Nashville as soon as possible. Everything here is packed up and being moved on the date I should have been leaving.'

'Four-Leaf and the others taking care of that?' Kris asked guessing they would be.

'Yeah, they've got strict orders on what to bring and what to leave.' Cate smiled as she looked over to the piano speaking of the things she was taking with her.

'What about your car?'

'They're driving that up for me as well.' Cate explained as Kris looked down to the carpet and then turned her focus out of the room back towards the party area outside.

'So this really is it then?'

'Afraid so short stack, this is the last hoorah for a little while at least, so enjoy it and don't be all sad and weepy about it. You'll be visiting me in no time.' Cate smiled walking over to her little friend throwing an arm around her shoulders and leading her back out to the back yard. 'Let's get this party started because it looks like the guests are starting to arrive.' Cate wasn't wrong as she and Kris entered out to the backyard people started to arrive for the party all calling out to one another and cheering when groups of friends spotted other smaller groups of friends, Cate getting pulled in and caught up in the thick of it. Four-Leaf and the rest of the band excluding Scotty and Cate played music throughout the party only breaking for the food which went as quickly as it was laid out. With the sun beginning to set it and the food eaten it was time for the band to take its place again and for Scotty and Cate to join them just as Cate took to the stage Bosley arrived. Cate waved to him from the stage just as they were beginning a song waving back Bosley joined Kris by the drinks table.

'Hey Bosley where have you been, you should have been here hours ago?' Kris asked smiling as she poured him a drink.

'I was detained by our dear boss and also trying to track down a missing Angel.' Bosley said a little quieter meaning Kelly and not wanting to upset anyone he kept his voice low when he spoke of her.

'You didn't find her?' Kris asked picking up her drink and sipping from it.

'Nope, wherever she's run off to she doesn't want to be found right now.' Bosley sighed defeated. 'How have things been here?' Bosley looked around at the large group of people mingling and enjoying themselves, he had forgotten that the Angels did manage to have social lives away from the agency and had many friends.

'It's been great although I wish we had all thought of an excuse for Kelly's absence, I've been asked so many times where she is and I can only imagine how many times Cate has been asked.' Kris explained as Bosley knowingly nodded his head understanding.

'And what about Julie, any sign of Marcus?' Bosley asked as he scoured the yard looking for the veterinarian.

'Not yet but he said he wouldn't be here until after the clinic had closed for the day so he should be here soon.' Kris explained looking at her watch realisng how quickly time had passed.

'Alright you guy's so I'm having to leave you all…' Cate began to say to her friends from up on stage to which she got the response of booing and grumbles. 'I know, I know y'all are going to miss me terribly but hey, I'm fixing up a great bar in Nashville and your first round when y'all come to visit is on me.' Cate joked to which the crowd of friends all cheered. Looking across the familiar faces Cate still couldn't spot the one she hoped to see, but she did see her family in Julie, Kris and Bosley cheering and laughing with the rest of the guests. 'Well I suppose we'd better start this set.' Cate looked back to the band that all nodded and murmured their agreement. The band started up as Four-Leaf came to the front microphone people started to move around and dance knowing the song as it started _'Sign, Sealed, Delivered'_ the band moved through song after song seamlessly from rock and roll, to jazz and blues.

When Marcus arrived Kris turned to the stage to catch Cate's attention who had already seen him enter, the plan was once he had arrived to play a couple for songs before the planned one aimed at him and Julie which they pulled off well.

'Alright you lot.' Four-Leaf said after the second song looking sideways to Cate. 'The time you've all been waiting for, here she be Caitlin.' The crowd of friends cheered, whistled and clapped as Cate took over from Four-Leaf at the lead microphone.

'Let's slow things down for just a moment.' Cate said to them all nodding to Four-Leaf for his cue to the band as they started the intro, waiting for her place to start Cate stole a quick glance to Kris who was already making her way over to Marcus just as Cate started to sing.

_Sometimes it's pair of  
Old faded denim I know  
It's gonna fit me like a friend.  
Or some radio song.  
You can't help but sing along  
Wishing they'd spin it over and over again.  
_

'May I have this dance?' Kris asked smiling her sweetest smile to Marcus who, being the gentleman he was accepted leading Kris over to where the rest of the party were already dancing. Cate turned to Scotty who nodded in response jumping down from the stage and heading straight over to Julie who was stood to the side of the patio doors watching over the party and Marcus, keeping herself to the shadows.

_  
Could be the windows down on a Sunday drive.  
The smell of rain on a summer night.  
Anything that brings a little more comfort my way.  
But sometimes, there's those times, it's gotta be you.  
_

'Dance with me Julie.' Scotty smiled. Julie laughed as she put down her drink as Scotty pulled her along to the dancing area; only a few couples separated Julie and Marcus.

_  
I keep telling myself I'm moving on.  
But I'm stumbling.  
Believing my heart was strong enough and now I'm wondering.  
But every step I take that leads me away just circles back to your door.  
Wishing I didn't love you anymore._

_I've tried turning to the arms of someone new.  
But I can't seem to fool this fool.  
I've seen closing times with every bottle dry.  
And I've seen days alone in my own room.  
I've asked God and magazines, stacks of books and movie screens.  
Anything to bring a little more comfort my way.  
But sometimes, there's those times, It's gotta be you.  
_

Scotty and Kris kept their respective dance partners busy but always kept their eyes on the prize and managed to get their partners to dance closer towards one another until they were just close enough for the switch to be made. Scotty looked over Julie as she had her back to Marcus and Kris, seeing his opportunity he took it. Stopping his dance with Julie he separated from her still holding her hand but tapped Marcus on the shoulder forcing him to stop his dance with Kris.

'Mind if I cut in?' Scotty asked, before Marcus could answer Scotty stepped in dancing Kris away leaving Marcus and Julie alone facing each other finally.

'I think we'd better carry on dancing.' Marcus said holding his hands out to Julie who slowly and nervously moved into his arms.

_  
I keep telling myself I'm moving on.  
But I'm stumbling.  
Believing my heart was strong enough and now I'm wondering.  
But every step I take that leads me away just circles back to your door.  
Wishing I didn't love you anymore._

_You give me more.  
I've done everything I can to forget.  
If there is a way, I ain't found it yet.  
_

Julie and Marcus continued their dance silently until Julie started to chuckle.

'What's so amusing?' Marcus asked with his sweet smile that Julie had missed so much.

'They worked so hard to have this happen, you just know Kris was behind it all.'

'Is that such a bad thing?' Marcus asked. Julie looked up to him gazing deeply into his eyes.

_  
I keep telling myself I'm moving on.  
Believing my heart was strong  
But every step I take that leads me away just circles back to your door.  
Wishing I didn't love you  
What I'd give if I could touch you;  
Wishing I didn't love you anymore._

'Not at all.' Julie finally answered before kissing Marcus deeply and passionately. As their kiss broke apart the pair leaned in close to one another. 'I'm so sorry Marcus. I never meant to hurt you and I never meant to turn you away.' Julie said as she took a step back from him looking again in to his eyes her own glistening.

'You hurt me Julie I can't deny that.' Marcus explained, before he continued he led Julie away from the crowd and into Cate's home. 'I wish you had talked to me given me a chance to..' Julie stopped him before he could continue.

'I know, and I know I hurt you and maybe I don't deserve another chance from you but…' Julie trailed off biting her bottom lip as she walked away from Marcus walking further into the house, into the lounge.

'But what Julie, please just tell me, don't turn away from me, not again.' Marcus pleaded following after gently taking her hand as she stood still with her back to him.

'You know it's funny that the hardest thing I have ever done, the scariest thing I have ever done is what I'm about to do right now.' Julie said turning to Marcus again. 'I love you Marcus and if you would still have me…' Before she could even finish her sentence Marcus took hold of Julie pulling her into another passionate kiss and embrace.

Back outside the party and music continued. Kris and Scotty looked out for Julie and Marcus or for sounds of an argument.

'You think that worked?' Scotty asked.

'I hope so.' Kris smiled and then beamed as she watched Marcus and Julie come back out to the party arm in arm both smiling and looking in love and at peace. 'I know so.' Kris corrected herself motioning towards the two lovebirds before Scotty and she started laughing. Leaving Kris Scotty jumped back up onto stage whispering into his sister's ear as he passed by her. Looking out to see what Scotty had just whispered to her Cate soon spotted Julie and Marcus, happily catching up with one another.

'Ladies and gentlemen, if we can have your attention please.' Four-Leaf called out the crowd soon growing quiet. As it's getting on with time and we promised the neighbours we wouldn't keep going with this live music until too late we come to the close of our set with a special young woman who you all know, welcome up to the stage to join us Kris Munroe!' The party guests began again to cheer and whistle as Kris took her place on stage waving to everyone and nervously laughing.

'Thank you Four-Leaf and everyone for being here. So I as you all know Cate is leaving us for pastures new and I decided that we had to find a way to see her off in style and this was the best way I could think of.' Kris told the crowd who all responded with hoots and hollers. 'Now Cate thinks we've been working on a certain song but behind her back I changed it, nothing unusual when it comes to our friendship.' Kris joked looking sideways to Cate who was sat at the keyboard looking confused but also suspicious as to where this was now heading. 'So Cate we're going to ask you to join the rest of your friends and family down there and just enjoy this one song.' Cate did as she was asked to more hoots and hollers as she got down from the stage walking over to join Julie, Marcus and Bosley all of whom had no idea what Kris was up to. 'Cate you've been a dear, infuriating, annoying, supportive, pig headed, stubborn oh wait, I wasn't meant to say that up here was I?' Kris innocently looked around to the band teasing the guests and Cate all of whom were enjoying the banter. Cate looked up to her friend with a wide smile laughing but with a look that Kris knew meant she would pay for it later. 'Seriously though, we'll miss you, I'll miss you terribly. You're my best friend, my sister, my family and I hate that you will be so far away. My only wish is that both of our sisters could be here tonight.' With that Four-Leaf cued the band as the music began Kris readied herself to start the song.

'_I sat in the window of my room  
Watched you go away  
It was all I could do  
It was all I could do_

_Your going away  
To leave me alone  
In all of this sorrow  
In this misery  
_

As Kris sang certain lyrics hit Cate hard, so much of it reminded her of Kelly and her want for her sister to be there at that moment by her side, but of course Kelly wasn't there and the music continued.

_  
So look now, my darling  
I__'__ll have to abandon  
All thought of you  
As your going away_

_I still see your dear little hand  
As it touched mine  
Saying goodbye, forever goodbye  
Those words you said to me have broken my heart  
Yes, they've broken my heart  
They were false and did lie  
_

The evening came to an end as people slowly drifted away leaving saying their goodbyes promising to be in contact soon and to be there for the opening of the bar. With the last guest gone the Angels, the band, Bosley, Scotty and Marcus helped clear away the rubbish and took down as much of the music instruments and speakers as they could manage in what light was left.

'It was a great party Kris, thank you.' Cate said as she hugged Kris. 'And your song was superb and poignant.' Kris smiled bashfully.

'What time will you both be leaving tomorrow?' Kris asked.

'You're leaving tomorrow?!' Julie asked in shock as she came up behind Kris and Cate who were stood on her front lawn close to Kris's car where they were waving off other firends.

'Afraid so.' Cate confirmed to which Julie slapped her across the top of her arm. 'Ow! What was that for?'

'How could you not have told me that?' Julie asked angrily looking at both Kris and Cate.

'Because we wanted you to have your thoughts only on one person tonight.' Kris calmly explained turning Julie as she did to look at Marcus whom was stood leaning against his car talking with Bosley and Scotty. Julie looked at Marcus then turned to her fellow Angels embarrassed.

'Oh.' Julie said.

'Yeah oh.' Cate repeated laughing as she grabbed Julie hugging her. 'Look after him for me, he's all your responsibility now.' Cate laughed still hugging her friend. Cate waved off the rest of her friends until only she, Scotty and Kris were left, Four-Leaf and the band having headed off to their hotel for the night.

_  
Goodbye, my dear  
Goodbye forever  
Your going away  
Your going away_

'Well I suppose I ought to be making a move as well, I have no doubt you both still have packing to do before tomorrow.' Kris teased nudging Cate as she got up from the couch they were sat on talking and reminiscing, laughing and joking.

'Well we have some packing left to do.' Scotty admitted standing beside his sister both of them facing Kris who was smirking.

'I'm sure.'

'Well it's not like I have a lot of big things to take as I'm leaving practically everything else here.' Cate explained defending herself.

'Yeah whatever Fox.' Kris laughed picking up her purse and turning for the door, Scotty and Cate not far behind her following her down to her car.

'You sure you're alright to drive?' Cate asked not sure how much Kris had drunk that night.

'I'm fine, I was too busy playing hostess to really drink anything.' Kris joked brushing off the comment. 'I am very sober.' Kris opened her driver's side door and tossed her purse over to the passenger seat. 'I really wish Kelly had been here, she missed a great night.' Cate smiled looking away from Kris to the bright moon.

'Yeah me too but we can't have everything we want now can we?' Cate rhetorically asked shrugging her shoulders as she did. Kris tilted her head to one side looking at her friend with concern, knowing it hurt Cate more than she was willing to show or admit. 'Quit worrying about me short stack, I'll be ok and my little brother is here to watch over me, I'll be fine.' Cate took hold of Kris wrapping her arms around her tightly, Kris responding back the same way.

'I'm going to miss you Caitlin.' Kris said as she held on to Cate doing her best to fight back the tears.

'Yeah I'll miss the fighting to, who else is going to shout and argue with me the way you do?' Cate sighed laughing lightly. Kris broke away turning to Scotty she hugged him tightly.

'Now you look after your big sister for me, make sure she doesn't do anything too reckless, too stupid.' Kris ordered Scotty.

'I'll do my best.' Scotty promised releasing Kris from their hug. Kris looked to both of them taking hold of Cate's forearm she squeezed it tightly before building the courage to leave.

'Right, I'd better go before I end up going with you or forcing you to stay. Are you sure you won't stay?' Kris asked teasing to which Cate laughed slightly shaking her head.

_  
Death is hard  
But your leaving is worse  
Oh yes, my dear  
Your leaving is worse_

_Your going, my dear  
Your going forever  
And leaving me all alone in all of this grief  
_

'Not this time Kris but I'm never far away.' Cate reassured her friend looking deeply into Kris's eyes seeing that she understood. Kris nodded as she released her grip of Cate's forearm and got into her car. Quickly starting the engine Kris drove away from her friends before her emotions betrayed her.

'You think she'll be ok?' Scotty asked watching after Kris's car as it left Cate's street.

'Kris, yeah she'll be fine, as will Julie.'

'What about Kelly?' Scotty asked looking to his sister who continued to look after Kris's car then down to her feet.

'Let's go inside hey?' Cate said turning and heading back into the house Scotty following after her shutting the front door after them.

_  
So how, my dear  
How will I forget you  
When I see your face wherever I go  
When I close my eyes  
It's sad though I see you  
Your beautiful blue eyes, your beautiful lie_

The following morning Scotty and Cate rushed around each other, colliding with one another trying to finish getting packed and ready to leave when the taxi arrived to take them to the airport. Once the bigger bags were packed they had a few moments to slow down and pack their carry on bags.

'You taking this?' Scotty asked holding up a framed picture of Cate with the Angels.

'Yeah thanks, I almost forgot that one.' Cate smiled appreciatively as she took the picture out of its frame and placed it into her bag in between the pages of a book. 'Scott you want a drink?' Cate called out to her brother as she opened the fridge pulling out the orange juice.

'Sure, thanks!' Scotty called back. Just as Cate poured juice into glasses the doorbell rang. 'That can't be the taxi it's too early!' Scotty shouted from his room. Laughing at her baby brothers panicked voice she answered the door to reveal Kris.

'I couldn't not see you off on the day you leave.' She said as Cate looked at her with raised eyebrows.

'Plus you forgot your set of keys for this place last night.' Cate teased.

'There are times Fox I hate that you are also a detective.'

'Yeah whatever Munroe they're on the kitchen bar counter. Want a drink?' Kris followed in after Cate.

'Thanks. You both all ready to go?'

'I am I'm just waiting on that brother of mine.' Cate said just as Scotty came out of his room with his bags.

'Hey I'm ready and packed, I was just making sure is all.' Scotty pouted as he defended himself.

'And they say women are worse than men?!' Kris teased as she and Cate began to laugh at Scotty's expense who continued to pout. 'Oh I don't mean it Scotty, you know I don't.' Kris said kissing him on his cheek making Scotty smile and blush slightly. 'Any word from...'

'No none. But mama rang.' Cate interrupted before Kris finished asking if Kelly had called at all.

'Really, how is Bette?'

'Excited and pleased that we're both going into business together.' Cate explained.

'As she should be.' Scotty said holding out his glass to his sister who in return clinked glasses with him when a car horn sounded. Leaning back to look out of the kitchen window Cate saw the yellow cab.

'Our chariot has arrived.' Cate solemnly said to her brother putting her glass down. 'Time to go.' Scotty grabbed the first lot of large bags as Kris opened the front door for him. Cate took hold of the remaining two large cases and followed after her brother leaving the cases with Scotty and the cab driver to load as she went to collect the hand luggage which Kris had already picked up for her bringing them out for her.

'Have you got everything, tickets etc.' Kris asked knowing Cate's short term memory could be useless at times. Cate laughed knowing what Kris was thinking.

'We have everything, promise, we checked several times.' Cate said as she and Kris took the bags down to the cab as the last bags were loaded Scotty turned to Kris and picked her up in a big bear hug.

'Take care Kris, hope you come and see us soon.' Scotty said as he put Kris down on the ground again.

'Just make sure you look after your sister for me.' Kris ordered again rubbing her hand up and down Scotty's arm. Scotty nodded as he started to walk round to the other side of the taxi when he stopped in his tracks and spun on his heel and headed back towards Kris a look of determination on his face. Just like the sailor did in the famous VJ-day photograph Scotty swooped Kris round to the side and kissed her then swung her back up to her original standing position and quickly walked back to the taxi and got in before Kris could do or say anything. Kris stood for a moment stunned as Cate watched her friend trying hard not to laugh out loud she just stood with a smirk across her face. Walking up Kris's side she whispered in her ear.

'I think he likes you.' Cate then proceeded to laugh as Kris spun round to look at her with a look of surprise and shock. Cate continued to laugh as she hugged Kris tightly. 'Look after yourself short stack, call me any time.' Finally Kris began to laugh herself as she wrapped her arms tightly round Cate.

'Be happy.' Kris said as she and Cate separated from one another as Cate walked towards the cab she was about to get in when she noticed something.

Kelly stood beside her car at the corner of the street watching over them as they said their goodbyes. Cate stood leaning against the cab her arms rested across the top of the back passenger door and the car roof. Kris noticed where Cate was looking towards and followed her line of vision seeing Kelly herself. Cate locked eyes with Kelly from the distance they had between them. Kris walked up to Cate placing her hand on to her back Cate lowered her head toward Kris as she spoke.

'I'll take of her, don't worry.' Cate turned to Kris smiling appreciatively before looking back to her sister. Lifting her hand, with her elbow still propped on the roof of the cab, Cate bid farewell to her sister from a distance.

'Cate we have to go.' Scotty gently called from inside the cab. Slowly nodding Cate hugged Kris one last time before she got into the cab, Kris shutting the door for her.

'Thanks Kris, for everything.' Cate said through the open window before leaning back and giving the nod to the cab driver to drive on. The cab turned in the street driving away from Kris and Kelly heading off towards the airport. Kris waved her friends off; once they were out of sight she looked to where Kelly was still stood beside her car. Taking a deep breath Kris walked towards her.

_I sat in the window of my room,  
And watched you go away,  
It was all I could do,  
It was all I could do_

'There's still time to go after her, see them off at the airport.' Kris said once she reached Kelly. Kelly still looked up the road to where her sister had driven away from her.

'No, I don't think so.' Kelly looked to Kris smiling weakly at her. 'This is where we say our goodbyes for now.'

'Oh Kelly.' Kris said defeated as she looked to Kelly shaking her head in disbelief. 'You'll regret this, you will.'

'Perhaps.' Kelly replied as she got into her car, starting her cars engine. Kris stood back form the car as Kelly drove away. Kris headed back to Cate's home shutting the home up until it was needed again. Looking down to her watch Kris realised she would be late if she didn't make a move.

'Time is money.' Kris said aloud to herself smiling as she left Cate's home locking the door. Getting in to her car Kris started its engine and looked to Cate's home and smiled before driving off to the office. 'You'll be back.' Kris said as if Cate were beside her to hear.

The end…?

* * *

Songs used, one really daft stupid one I know but it's being played in an advert over here and I really like it, the Ethel Merman one...

_**'If I Knew You Were Coming I'd Of Baked A Cake' - Ray Bolger & Ethel Merman**_

_**'Wishing' - Sugarland**_

_**'I Sat in the Window of My Room' - Alison Krauss**_

_**Back for a new fic soon....Thanks for reading and reviewing, keep it up! AJ5 ;-)**_


End file.
